Mercy
by SeleneDucky123
Summary: This is the story of a young woman with disorders that causes her to look like a small child. For her entire life, she wanted happiness and love from a man and a family she could call her own. Her past is dark and full of blood due to her violent behavior, But she is willing to do anything to reach her goal. Anything at all. (This story is inspired by Leena's story and others.)
1. Mercy

1.

As I fastened my ribbons on my scars, I gazed at myself in the bathroom mirror. Instead of seeing my hideous wrinkled face, I saw a youthful, adorable little girl. My golden blonde hair was curled and my green eyes shimmered like crystals.

I smiled at the mask of"Mercedes" or Mercy for short, I could never bear to look at my true self. I hummed sweetly to myself as I put layers of makeup on my face. Makeup is such a magical tool for me. It hides my wrinkles and aging skin. It masked Alanna Petrov, a twenty nine year old woman inching towards her thirties. Mercy's age is frozen at eight. My life was cursed with two disorders that affected my life. On the day of my birth, I was diagnosed with a chromosomal disorder called Turner syndrome. My disorder was visible with my swollen feet and hands at birth. My Mother and Father doted over me as a small child. They provided me proper hormonal therapy and treatments to help me grow and flourish. Then eventually my life went to shit when I was later diagnosed with hypopituitarism. Another disorder that stunted my growth to make me look like a little girl.

The loud sounds of meandering children echoed through the hallways of the Orphanage. Their laughter and giggles filled me with both annoyance and envy. They reminded me of myself, when I was innocent and youthful. I preferred solitude, in my free time, I would open my journal and look at my keepsakes I hid in the pages. I didn't feel like coming out the bathroom just yet, there was no need in worrying about someone barging in, I was always smart and locked the door. My routine at this Orphanage was straightforward and fit well into "Mercy"'s schedule. The time me and the children would be woken was early at six, but I always managed to get up at the crack of five to hurry to the bathroom with my bag of possessions in hand. Once I'm in the bathroom, I paint my face, wrap up my deformed breast with white gauze, wrap up my scars with the ribbons, brush my teeth, and wash and dry my hair. Normal eight year old girl stuff.

Pretending to be a child is difficult and emotionally draining sometime, Mercy's entire character is a sweet tempered, timid, girl who seeks friendship and love from a family who would cherish her. Poor little Mercy, the sweet orphan that was abused and mistreated by many. The little girl everyone adored and wanted to comfort. I've been playing Mercy for long that there were times when I would forget who I truly was. I always act like a cordial, friendly child to avoid suspection, I force myself to play and mingle with the other children. Being by myself gives me time to think. I would think about my past. I giggled amused at my memories. "I wonder what people would think if they knew the true "me."" I whispered. I write my story in this journal, I personally believe I have a photographic memory, I never forget anything. Everything that happened to me in my chaotic life was unforgettable and haunts me day and night. I had a another journal, a journal full of dark secrets and misery. But it ended up getting destroyed by accident before I came here from my previous family. I unlocked the door and scrolled out the bathroom and into the quiet art room. I sat at a small table nearby a window and I began to write down my memories in my spare time.


	2. The Beginning

2\. My beginning

Tick tock...tick tock.. My eyes glued to the clock of my barren cell. I twisted violently to release myself from a my straitjacket. "COME ON!" I screamed. I squirmed and squirmed until I exhausted myself. Beads of sweats rolled down my face, my breathing was heavy. Everyday I would do this, I would use all my might and energy to rip myself of this straitjacket. But to no avail.

For seven years, I have been locked up in this hellhole called the Vaare Institution. I sobbed brokenly as I threw myself to the floor. "YOU DID THIS TO YOURSELF, ALANNA! YOU STUPID BITCH!" I screamed. My mind becomes unhinged every minute, I choked on my heavy sobs.

"All of this over a couple of disgusting bastards!" I sniveled. I vividly remembered the men I murdered years ago. Their faces popped into my mind. I had no pity for them, they deserved their deaths. The only pity I felt was for myself. The men I killed hurt me, they betrayed me and denied me the love I would kill for. The love that only soulmates cherishes, I desire that with all my heart. I thought of my Father, remembering with bliss of the love he showed me when I was younger. I wished I could go back in time and be with him once again. Everyday I would daydream about him, thinking of how happy we were. Blissful, joyous memories I hold dear to my heart. I always felt that hole inside me ever since I murdered him. I also murdered his two whores who just happened to be there with him on that night I murdered him. I tried to replace him with the other men, but it all ended the same.

A bloodcurdling scream echoed from the room next to me. Almost every two hours that crazy bastard screams his head. I just want to stab him in his neck! I sat up alarmed when I heard the door creak open. My spirits are instantly lifted when I laid my eyes on Dr. Popov and three other orderlies. All my sorrow and pity was instantly replaced with joy and giddiness.

He gave me a broad smile. His voice made me wet. "Hello, Ms. Petrov. How are you feeling?" He asked me. "It's time for your hourly appointment."

I looked at my straitjacket. I wanted to burn this thing. I hated being restrained like this. I felt like a savage animal.

"I want to be out of my straitjacket." I said truthfully. All my pent up emotions rushed out of me as I broke out into pitiful sob. My tears blinded me for a moment, Dr. Popov just stood there and thought to himself.

"Please! Dr. Popov, I can't take this jacket anymore! Please, let me out just this once, please!" I pleaded.

Dr. Popov remained collected, his voice was gentle and precise. "No, Ms. Petrov, you know why you must be in that jacket." He wasn't asking a question. I already knew why I'm always stuck in this straitjacket. It's not for my protection, it's the staff's protection. Since I been here, I have lashed out on almost all of the orderlies. They deserved it though, they all treated me like a animal. They dehumanized me, so I treated them the same way.

I then lied. "I'm sorry. I always feel bad after I do it! I will never attack anyone ever again! I promise!" Tears ran down my cheeks. Dr. Popov gave me a kind look, I could feel his compassion for me. He was the only person who truly cared for me in this hellhole.

He then beckoned me into the hallway. "Come, it is time for your appointment. We will talk about it."

My spirits are lifted and I smiled. "Thank you, Dr. Popov." I said happily. One of the orderlies glared at me. "Come on, don't make us wait. Move!" He barked. With that, I'm led into the dimly lit hallway and escorted into Dr. Popov's small office. Dr. Popov entered the room first and sat down at his desk. Still in my straitjacket, the orderlies seated me down in a chair infront of Dr. Popov's desk.

Screams and wails of madness rang through the building.

My heart soared as I stared into Dr. Popov's warm eyes. I just wished he would embrace me with all the love and comfort in the world.

"I heard you screaming earlier, Ms. Petrov. How are your mood swings?" Dr. Popov asked me.

"I'm sick of being in my straitjacket." I said softly. I then begged. "I will never attack anyone again. I promise. I will be calm, I'll behave."

He nodded. "Ms. Petrov, this is the Hospital policy. You have attacked many of our staff. So therefore you must be restrained. " I loathed how matter of fact he was at that moment.

I broke down in tears once again. "Please! I will be good! Just let me have no straitjacket on in my cell! I can't fucking stand it!"

Dr. Popov was quiet for a moment. The orderlies stood behind me in case I tried to escape or do something.

"You tend to promise me good behavior a lot, Ms. Petrov." Dr. Popov commented. "I know full well how sly you can be. I'm willing to give you a chance, but I'm afraid you are telling me a bold lie."

I sniffled. "I'm not lying. All I want is be let out of this straitjacket. I will do anything!"

Dr. Popov stared at me for a quick moment, he took a deep breath. "No." My heart sank. "One day when you act properly, you will be released from your restraints. But yesterday, you bit one of our staff member during your shower period. And you spat on another one this morning. Your behavior as of now has not improved. Here." With that he beckoned one of the orderlies to come to him. He gave that orderlie a glass of water and two small yellow pills.

The orderly held his hand to me and showed me the two pills. "Open your mouth." He commanded. I refused and shook my head defiantly. I felt anger rising inside me. I struggled to keep calm. I felt more hurt than anger, Dr. Popov's refusal to release me out my straitjacket pained me.

"Why? I promised you I will be good! Just give me a chance!" I pleaded.

Dr. Popov slowly shook his head. "I'm sorry." I finally lost my temper. I raised my voice. "YOU'RE SORRY?! ALL I WANTED WAS TO BE OUT THIS FUCKING STRAITJACKET, YOU DUMB MOTHERFUCKER! EAT SHIT AND DIE!" I snarled, I couldn't control my words. I violently twisted in my seat, screaming and crying heavily. All my love for Dr. Popov disappeared into thin air. For the years I been here, I cherished Dr. Popov. I found him so attractive and lovely, I felt warmth and comfort whenever I was around him. But now I saw his true colors.

The orderly became impatient and jammed one of the pills into my mouth. I jerked back with wide eyes, I made sure I didn't choke on the pill. He plucked my chin and forced me to drink the water. I wildly flailed and ended up swallowing the bitter pill. "Gentle, Fredson." Dr. Popov instructed calmly. He released my chin, I felt so violated and disrespected.

I sobbed heavily. "FUCK YOU!" I shrieked angrily.

"Ms. Petrov, please calm yourself. Please take your next pill so you can…" I cut him off quickly.

"SO I CAN WHAT? GO BACK TO MY CELL AND EXHAUST THE HELL OUT OF MYSELF TRYING TO GET OUT THIS DAMN STRAITJACKET! YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING SON OF A BITCH!" I screamed.

"Please calm yourself, Ms. Popov." He consoled me. I did admire Dr. Popov's composure. He never loses his temper. He was collected and even tempered. But I was too angry to care. "NO! NO!" I wailed.

"FUCK THIS PLACE! FUCK YOU!" I screamed. "I'M NOT TAKING THE DAMN PILL!"

Dr. Popov just nodded. "Alright. You will be sent back to your room. And you will stay in there until you calm yourself." I sobbed harder than before. "Please…." I whispered, my throat was strained now due to all my screaming.

But it was too late, within minutes I'm escorted out of Dr. Popov's office and back into my cell. I heard one of the orderlies chuckling as they shut the door. I tried to break free from my straitjacket once again, I could feel it cutting through my skin as I do. After a full minute of struggling, I gave up and threw myself to the floor. I trembled as I bitterly sobbed. Whenever I'm at my lowest point, (which was often here.) I'd daydream. My daydreams were my safe haven. I imagined what I yearned for in life. I daydreamed about my wedding, I would marry a handsome, loving man who would love me no matter how I looked. I thought of having children. I will never have children, my Father ruined my reproductive system a long time ago. My womb is useless and barren. But I always wanted a small child to care for, I wanted to be a mother and a wife. Those dreams are my goals in life. I scanned my room and noticed something under my bed. My old wore out bible. I'm not religious, but my Father was. When I was small and innocent, he would read pages from a bible to put me to sleep at night. I received this bible from the Institution when I first got here. Now I barely read it, instead I store pictures of my victims inside its pages. It's also a daily reminder of Mercedes or "Mercy." My adopted Father popped into my memories. I remembered how brutally I murdered him. He rejected me and hit me when I tried to seduce him. All I wanted from him was love, but he chose to hurt me. So I murdered him that night, slicing him up like swiss cheese. I was literally seeing red, I was so enraged I kicked on his almost decapitated corpse. I burned his house down with his the rest of unsuspecting family inside. I ran away and ditched my Mercy facade and became a prostitute. I fell in love with at least four of my clients. But the relationship broke down once they began to abuse me, so I stabbed them and killed them. Few months later, I ended up here.

All I ever wanted was acceptance and romance from a man who would cherish me. But all I got was rejection, abuse, and blood on my hands.

"I need to try again. I need to escape!" I whispered to myself. I took a deep breath to collect myself. "I must act good." I told myself.

I did act good. For two weeks straight, I was obedient and meek. Even when a orderly abused me, I didn't lash out, I'd just swallowed down my rage like a bitter pill. It was a rainy afternoon when Dr. Popov finally told me I could get out of my straitjacket.

My smile went to ear to ear. My voice was high pitched and jovial. "Really?!" I squealed in excitement.

Dr. Popov smiled in approval. "Yes. You have shocked me, Ms. Petrov. You have been on your best behavior." He said kindly. "I'm very proud." He added. I let out a girly giggle and blushed. I was falling back in love with Dr. Popov.

"Time for my escape." I whispered to myself urgently. I waited patiently in my cell, I enjoyed the feeling of being free. I felt like a bird trapped in a cage. I glanced at my raw scars on my wrists and grimaced. Within minutes, Lola, a orderly who enjoyed making my life a living hell here entered my room with a tray of plain food. Her eyes filled up with disgust as she looked at me. But I didn't care. Before she could do anything, I ran and slammed myself into the door. My force shut it tight and Lola was trapped inside with me.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" She hollered, dropping my tray to the floor. Food splatted onto the floor, my fork and spoon landed to my feet. I picked up my fork and lunged at her with a evil smile. I took her by surprise and tackled her. She wrestled with me for a moment, until I managed to jabbed the plastic fork into her neck. I slammed my hand on her big mouth as she let out a muffled long winded scream. I stab her one more time and watched her become limp and bloody I checked for a pulse and groaned when I realized she was still alive. I jumped off of her and leaped into action. I grabbed my bible hastily. I snatched Lola's keys from her and opened the door. Within in seconds, I'm running at top speed down the hallway.

"SHE'S LOOSE!" A frantic yell nearly made me lose my balance.

The screams of the mad patients escalated as I ran blindly. I took a few turns and flew down the flight of stairs. My legs throbbed with pain and exhaustion, but I forced myself to keep running. I heard other orderlies' rapid footsteps chased after me. I made it to the elevator and I violently pressed the button. My heart raced a mile a minute. When it opened, I dove in and pressed the lobby button. As the doors closes, I caught a glance of the orderlies charging after me.

I am out of breath, my entire body ached. When I arrived at the lobby, I just ran without any thought. I slammed myself into the entrance doors and pushed it with my might as I finally escaped outside. It was raining, my now bloody clothes were drenched. But I didn't care. The alarm went berserk, the deafening siren nearly burst my eardrums. I just kept running.


	3. Little Mercy

Sweet little Mercy

* * *

I ran and ran down the streets until my legs gave out. I ended up in a dark alleyway, I gazed at the sky. I was amazed by the nature of the outside. I felt triumph, I was finally free. I felt like dancing out of joy. "I'm free!" I whispered excited. I felt like the world was finally giving me a break. I never felt so happy. But then I remembered who and where I was. I'm a serial killer on the loose. The police will be on my ass at any moment. I had no time for happiness.

Now I needed a plan. Then I frowned. "Shit." I said in dismay. I didn't think this through. All I knew was that I needed to become "Mercy" once again. But how? I scanned the alleyway, I was alone and lost. Cars zoomed by, honking in the distance. The rain soaked my entire body, the blood on my clothes thankfully was washed away. I simply wandered aimlessly through the alleyway. Tears swelled up in my eyes as my heart became heavy. I began to feel hopeless, I was going to be recaptured and locked away again! I wondered about my options. I was willing to kill if that meant staying free. I desired a weapon, I preferred knives, they were my favorite weapons. But there was nothing but trash here.

Then I remembered something important. I finally recognized this area when I walked upon an a familiar looking store. _Yes! It's still here!_ I thought. At the end of the alleyway, there was a small store. I knew what it was. When I became Mercy, I came into this same abandoned Halloween store to become her. It's been ages since I been here. I darted towards the store and jerked the doors opened. I clutched the bible close to my heart as a luck charm. I was a ball of nerves, paranoia fueled me. I feared the authorities would find me, no screaming or acting will save me from the wrath of the law. I needed to be quick. Daylight barely lit the dark room, I scanned the store. There's dozens of masks on shelves, costumes on racks, and vividly decorations on the walls. I finally found what I was looking for. It felt so surreal, when I was locked away I thought it was the end. I never thought I would be back here after seven years in hell.

The room casted my shadow as I walked towards the racks of old dresses. I personally found the dresses cute. They were frilly, 1800 era influenced dresses. They were in various colors, I picked a white dress and examined it closely. It was right for my size. Child size.

I ran through the store and I searched the shelves to discover white gauze ready for the taking. "Yes!" I cheered. I quickly found other clothes for my outfit. I paced around for a short second. "I need makeup." I told myself.

Then I noticed something when I passed by a mirror across the room. I went back to look at my hideous self. I looked like a monster. No wonder the staff called me that. Even though I'm a grown adult, I'm stunned to appear as a small child. I never grew properly, my body is deformed and worn out. I looked ten times older in the face, horrid wrinkles were permanently mocking me. I grimaced in disgust at the sight of myself. I was a freak! An vile, hideous monster! I removed myself from the mirror and I felt great relief when I ripped off my hospital gown and wrapped up my deformed breasts with the white gauze. I scurried towards the back of the store and managed to found makeup on the shelves. I went back to the mirror and proceeded to paint my face with the makeup. As I put on layers of makeup, I gazed at myself in awe on how youthful I looked. Then I caught a glimpse on my teeth, rotten and blackened from my time in the Institution. I was barely able to care for my hygiene needs. I was then distracted by how new I looked. I was now Mercy once again. I glanced down at my wrists and got an idea.

"Where are they?" I whispered harshly as I scavenged the store for ribbons. "Fuck finally," I huffed when I found them on the shelves. I was so elated that I found this place, never in my life has I ever been so lucky. I grabbed the ribbons and wrapped them around my wrists' scars. I smiled broadly as I headed towards the mirror. I put on black panyhoses and cute little slippers to match.

I made my voice sweet and soft. "Hello, my name is Mercedes, but you can call me Mercy." I practiced my act flawless. I found a cute looking backpack in the back and stuffed my possessions and a few more dresses in it. With my new backpack on my back and hope in my heart, I walked out the store.

At first, I was aimlessly wandering down the streets of Tallinn, Estonia. I felt safe to roam the free world now, Little Mercy is innocent and harmless.

 _Where do I go?_ I thought to myself. I wandered the streets for a few more minutes, my feet is stinging with blisters and my muscles were strained. Then I found it, a towering brick building down the street. As I approached it, a medium size sign on the building caught my eye. In large bold letter; **Lea Lastekodu.** (Lea Orphanage.) I felt like cheering out of joy, this is my best day ever! I cherished this luck I had today.

I ran up to the building and stood at the door. My stomach tightened as I planned my fake life story.

 _I am Mercedes Lassiov, but you can call me Mercy. I am eight years old. My Mother is abusive and abandoned me for her new boyfriend who didn't like children._ I chanted this story in my head. _Don't you say Alanna! You are Mercy!_ I screwed up my face to make myself look like pitiful and frightened. Then I finally mustered up the courage to knock on the large wooden doors.

Seconds later, the door jerked opened and a woman appeared. She was elderly and plump with silver hair and a face full of freckles. I made myself cry on command. The woman gasped emotionally, her eyes became glassy and sympathetic.

I sniveled. "Please help me! My Mommy left me!" The woman's mouth dropped wide open. "Oh my goodness! Darling, are you alright?" She asked gently. I liked her tone of voice. It was warm and motherly.

"I don't know." I whimpered. "I can't find my Mommy!"

"What happened, tell me." Her eyes locked into mine.

I thought of my story and spoke frantically. "I was with my Mommy and then she started to be very...very mean! Then she said she hated me…..and doesn't want me anymore." I let out a heavy sob. The woman's eyes swelled up with tears. I was laughing in the insides, I was playing her like a fiddle!

The woman then embraced me warmly and rocked me like a baby in her arms. I cried harder. "What is your Mother's name?" she asked me as she released me. I sniffled. "Um….Sheena….Lassiov."

The woman nodded her head. She dried her tears and smiled brightly at me. "What is your name, sweetie?" She asked.

"Mercedes...my name is Mercy." I whispered innocently. I wiped my tears from my cheeks.

"Well my name is Mila. And we will care for you now, Mercy." With that Mila grabbed my hand and escorted me inside the Orphanage. Under my mask of sorrow, I was beaming and cheering in triumph.


	4. The Sullivans

The Sullivans

* * *

It was a month after I managed to trick Mila into letting me into the Orphanage. The law did everything in their power to seek out my "Mother" but of course they never found her. When I first arrived here, I worried that someone get suspicious of me. So eventually, I snuck my way into one of the staff's office and was able to print a false identification. I did this before, at a different Orphanage years ago. I knew how to make it look flawless and precise. I ended up printing it and hid it in my backpack.

Boisterous children screamed their heads off as they played happily. Laughter and giggles of bliss filled the entire building. I found the children annoying, they never shut up! I dreaded being around them, they reminded me of true innocence. The small children were just a reminder of what I yearned for in life. I always wanted a child to nurture and love. I truly wanted a little girl I could call my own. To make it simple, I desired a family of my own.

I sat in the small art room, I decided to draw flowers and animals in my free time. I was talented at art, my drawings were vivid and lively. I hummed to myself to keep myself from dozing off. I hummed the sweet tune of the song, "The Glory of Love." It was a song I treasured when I was a little girl. It reminded me of my childhood, during the time, my Mother was alive and well. She was a loving, meek woman who loved and cared for me. She loved that song and sang it to me when I would go to bed.

Suddenly I heard two voices I never heard before outside the room. Curious, I inched towards the door which was opened a crack. I peeked through the door crack to see a couple. A man and woman conversing with Mila. I studied them, their backs were turned to me so I can't see their faces. From their accents, I could tell they were foreigners.

"I'm positive the children will be delighted to meet you!" Mila chirped. The couple turned around and made their way down the hallway. An idea hatched in my mind and I smiled evilly. I stepped out the room and forced myself to fall to the floor clumsily. I heard a sharp gasp and I quickly felt warm hands pulling me up. Within seconds, I'm face to face with the woman. Her face was brimmed with worry and compassion. "Are you okay?" She asked me. Immediately I realized she was an American. I was born to a Russian Father and a Hungarian Mother, but I was raised in Estonia. I knew Estonian, Russian, Hungarian, and thankfully English. "Yes." I said shyly. The woman was taken aback by my knowledge of English.

"Sorry, that I fell. I was in a rush." I whimpered. I picked myself up and lowered my eyes to the floor.

I then looked at the couple, my eyes grew wide at the woman. I stared at her swollen belly.

"It's okay, darling." My attention was immediately captivated me by the man's voice. I was instantly attracted to him as I laid my eyes on him. He was tall and hunky, with golden blonde hair and soft blue eyes. He wore plain blue jeans and a red T shirt. The woman was quite pretty, she had high cheekbones, wavy red hair, and glistening green eyes. She was slender and had a graceful figure, she wore a pale blouse and a dark long skirt. They looked young for a couple in their mid thirties.

"I know a few things about being clumsy." the man chuckled. The woman let out a giggle and grinned.

I made sure I appeared shy and reserved. I need to charm them! I thought gravely. I opened my mouth to speak, but Mila approached us from behind.

"Oh I see you met Mercedes." She said. "She's brand new here."

The woman's eyes widened. "New, huh?"

I worried that a child would come and ruin everything somehow. But thankfully we were all alone in the hallway.

I cleared my throat and made sure I sounded sweet and innocent. "My name is Mercedes, but most call me Mercy. What's your names?" I greeted them.

The woman smiled brightly as she introduced herself to me. "My name is Sarah Sullivan," she gestured towards the man. "And this is Ryan Sullivan, my husband." Ryan gave me a warm smile and I flashed him one back.

"It's a pleasure to meet you two." I said politely.

Sarah kept smiling. "Wow! Your accent is so cute!" She exclaimed.

Ryan asked me a question in a relaxed voice. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Mercy. How old are you?"

"Eight." I lied.

"Well you sounded very mature for a eight year old." Ryan joked.

"You can go into the art room, so you can have a place to sit." Mila then beckoned us back into the art room. Sarah sat in a small chair and Ryan stood by his wife. I hopped in a chair in front of them. My heart raced with excitement. Mila stayed silently in the background, watching us. I wanted Mila to disappear, I didn't hate her, but I wanted to be alone to charm the couple. Sarah placed her hands on her belly. Her eyes softened. "Mercy, how did you end up here? If you don't mind me asking.."

"My Mommy just didn't want me anymore…" I made my eyes fill up with tears.

Ryan was alarmed and Sarah was horrified.

I continued my story. My voice is pitiful and low. "I...don't know what happened. My Mommy met this guy...and she got so mean!" I started to weep. Sarah put a compassionate hand on my shoulder, I looked into her eyes. She was tearing up!

I went on and sniffled. "Her boyfriend was gross!" I screwed up my face. "He liked to touch me and kiss me!" Sarah looked like she was going to throw up in disgust, Ryan narrowed his eyes, pissed.

"Where was Mommy?" Ryan urged, his voice was upset and disgusted.

I wept harder. Thankfully my makeup was waterproof and lasting. I put on many layers this morning. "She just told me to stop whining, she would hit me and scream at me all the time.." My voice drifted off. Ryan shook his head, Sarah wiped a tear from her eyes.

"Then she left me. She told she didn't want me and left me." I lamented.

Sarah sniffled and forced a smile. "Well you're very brave, Mercy. You're a strong person, sweetie."

Ryan chimed. "Good thing, you're here. You can find a nice family."

I smiled when he said that. I then acted stupid. "Why are you here?" I asked innocently.

"Well, me and Mr. Sullivan are looking for the perfect little kid for our big family." She said with a small smile.

I raised my eyebrow. "Big?"

"Yep," Sarah then held up five fingers. "Five beautiful daughters."

"Wow!" I exclaimed. My heart soared at the thought of them having a small little girl for me to be "Mommy" to. Sarah pointed to her belly, "Well there's gonna be another baby girl pretty soon." She beamed.

I gazed at her stomach. I was always admired the beauty of pregnancy and loathed the fact I would never carry a child in my womb. A real single tear of raw emotion rolled down my cheek.

"She'll be lucky to have parents like you," I whispered softly. Sarah and Ryan exchanged a quick look to each other.

"You know….you can be lucky too?" Ryan suddenly urged. My eyes widened. "What do you mean? Are you…...adopting me?"

Sarah didn't even wait. She reached over and gave me a half embrace. Her belly bumped me too much. "Yes!" She exclaimed. "You deserve it."

I grew a smile that went ear to ear. "Thank you!" I squealed happily. Then I wondered about my "siblings." "What's your kid's names?" I asked politely.

"Well Kelly is our oldest. She is sixteen. Our second daughter is Gabby, she's fifteen. Jackie is our third, she's fourteen. Annie is our fourth, she's adopted!" Sarah emphasized on the "adopted" part.

"Really?" I mouthed like I cared.

"Annie was a foster kid and we adopted her when she was very little." Sarah explained proudly. "She's thirteen."

Ryan chimed in. "And our youngest is Blake. She's eight." Ryan finished. I felt a pang of bliss and broadly smiled.

Sarah made a strange sound and put her hand up to her mouth. "I can't believe I forgot…" Her voice drifted off. With that she reached in her pant pocket and pulled out a picture. "Here," Sarah handed the picture to me. I gazed at the Sullivan family in awe. The entire family posed for a picture outside on a sunny day. Sarah was probably not pregnant at this point because I saw no bump on her. Next to her was I presumed was Kelly, she was tall and dark haired with round red glasses. Then I looked at Gabby, she was quite pretty. Her face was flawlessly painted with makeup, she had wavy, dark brown hair and glistening blue eyes. She was slender and thin, one foot shorter than Kelly. She was the only person in the picture to do a spirited pose for the photo, she wore a green cheerleader outfit, her expression is frozen with exuberance. Jackie looked nothing like her siblings at all. Like Gabby, she was very pretty. She was sylphlike with straight copper hair and glimmering green eyes. She had a dimple smile with rosy cheeks and freckles on her face. Despite being an adopted child, Annie looked like she was blood related. She had straight brown hair, high cheekbones and bright brown eyes. Then my heart flustered when I saw Blake and Ryan. Blake was cute and small. Her light brown hair was curled up and prim, her smile was wide and bright. Her blue eyes were lit with happiness. Everyone in the photo was smiling, frozen in bliss.

Without thinking, I let out a high pitched giggle and embraced Ryan. I wanted to kiss his neck so badly. I wanted her so badly. Ryan embraced me back and gave me a light kiss on the cheek. I blushed profusely and struggled not to make out with this hunk of a man.

The only people I cared about was Ryan and Blake, to hell with the others! I didn't care much for Sarah, she's a pawn in my game. Soon I will either get rid of her or kill her if it comes to it. I looked at Sarah, she clearly adored me. She fell in love with a figment, sweet little Mercy who loves hugs and kisses. I thought about how she would feel if she discovered my true self. I let out a amused giggle as I thought of that.

I smiled with pride. Now my name is Mercy Sullivan!


	5. Coming Home

Sarah and Ryan signed the adoption papers as quickly as they could. They have fell in love with Mercy. They would visit me every single day. I have learned so much about the Sullivans. I learned that Sarah is an art teacher at a local high school. Ryan is a computer teacher at a local middle school.

They live in a state called Michigan with all of their children. Sarah seems to be a doting, attentive mother. All she talked about was her children. She told me about how Kelly was on the honor roll at her high school. How Gabby is a energized cheerleader, how Jackie is a musical genius and a aspiring actress, how Annie is talented in dancing, how Blake loves sports and how excited she is to have a big sister.

I was elated about Blake. Sarah and Ryan has shown me so many photos of the family. I only focused on Blake and Ryan. Blake looked cute as a button, she already won my heart. I didn't care for the other girls and Sarah herself. To be honest, I had no interest in Sarah, she was simply pawn in my little game.

"I can't wait to go home, Mrs. Sullivan." I squealed on the day I was prepared to go to my brand new home. I was smiling with joy. Sarah and Ryan was on cloud nine. Sarah smiled brightly. "You will soon," Sarah inched closer to me. "And you can call me, "Mommy," She then gave me a light kiss on my forehead. I swallowed my disgust and smiled brightly.

I was eager to start my life in America, I was ready to leave all of my past behind me and never look back. As I was escorted out of the orphanage, I felt like I was on cloud nine. I felt nothing but joy and happiness, for once, my smile was raw. Me and the Sullivans took a cab to the airport. Once we were settled on the plane, I made sure I sat next to MY Ryan.

I fell asleep on the ten hours plane ride and eventually Ryan woke me up. "Mercy, we're here." His soft voice made me feel so warm inside. I looked out the window to see that we were at the Michigan airport.

We grabbed all of our luggages and boarded off the plane. When we finally exited the airport, Sarah and Ryan led me to a dark SUV parked next to a gray SUV with big grins on their faces.

Sarah opened the passenger door for me and I saw all of the Sullivan children inside the car. Kelly, Jackie, and Gabby were in the very back seat and Annie and Blake were in the first backseat. Blake's eyes lit up with excitement when she saw me. The older children kindly greeted me.

"Mercy, sit next to me!" She feverishly patted her hand on the empty seat next to her. I laughed at her enthusiasm. I loved the energy this little girl had. "Okay, okay." I chuckled. I got into the seat and buckled my seatbelt.

"Hello, Mercy." I looked up at the driver seat to see a young woman in her early twenties. She had straight black hair, a oval shaped face, narrow brown eyes, and fair skin. "I'm your Auntie, Diana." She beamed.

"Nice to meet you," I said sweetly.

"OH! Your accent is so cute!" Diana squealed. Sarah and Ryan did not join us in the car, instead, they hurried to the other car.

I was disappointed, I wanted Ryan to be with me for the entire ride. But I kept a happy face on. I smiled lovingly at my little Blake.

Once we were on the road, Sarah and Ryan followed us from behind. Blake kept me smiling, she was bursting with youthful energy, her mouth was constantly moving. She would ask me questions after questions without giving me a chance to answer.

"What is Estonia like? Why do you dress like that? Can you speak other languages?" I laughed at her how fast she was talking.

Diana was no amused. "Blake, give Mercy time to answer." She scolded.

"It's okay. I can answer all of her questions." I said politely. I grinned at Blake. "Estonia is a beautiful place. I love dresses and I like dresses like these. I can speak Russian, Estonian and Hungarian."

Blake's eyes widened with amazement. "WOW!" She exclaimed. She gave me a toothy grin. "SPEAK A LANGUAGE! OH! OH! BETTER, YOU COULD COME TO MY SHOW AND TELL! I TOLD ALL OF MY FRIENDS THAT WAS GETTING A NEW SISTER OR BROTHER FROM A ANOTHER COUNTRY!"

"Blake, enough! Mercy is your sister, not an object you bring to show and tell." Diana sharply scolded.

Blake appeared downcasted for a moment, she looked at the floor and frowned. "I just want all of my friends to see Mercy." She whined.

I didn't like how Diana was treating Blake. Yes, she was a very hyper child, but I wasn't offended by her remarks at all. I wanted to defend my daughter fiercely, but I remained polite and sweet. "It's fine. Blake isn't hurting my feelings, Auntie. I promise." I chimed.

"Fine, but you two need to cool it down and be a little more quiet." Diana rebuked.

….

We arrived at the house late at night. It was a large house made out of gray stone with five bedrooms and three bathrooms. It was in a nice, affluent neighborhood.

"I'll get your bags for you, Mercy." Annie offered when the car was parked in the driveway. The older girls all got out of the car and headed into the house. Sarah and Ryan were right behind us and approached me. "How do you like your new sisters?" Sarah inquired.

"I love them already!" I beamed.

"GREAT! Your new room is still being painted right now, so you'll be sharing a room." Sarah exclaimed.

I had to fight my urge to frown. I generally prefer my privacy.

"With who?" I asked.

"Jackie. She has a bunk bed in her room and she is a silent sleeper." Sarah explained. Without warning, the elated woman grabbed my hand and escorted me inside.

The house's inside was well designed and open. Ryan approached me. "Mercy, Jackie's room is upstairs, it's the last one, close to Mommy and Daddy's room."

I loved his voice so much, I stared at this hunk of a man with awe. He was so handsome and wonderful. "Yes, Daddy." I loved calling him "Daddy," Then I went up to Jackie's bedroom. Jackie's room was painted light purple, her room was wide and spacious, a few dressers, she had wall posters of celebrities and boy brands, she had a guitar, a violin, and a mini piano in her room. There was string lights in her room that was above her fair sized bunk bed. Her room was seemingly a characterization of her character as a person. It was very cute looking.

Jackie entered her bedroom and glanced at me with a sweet smile. "Do you want the top or the bottom?" She asked me.

"Top." I answered.

Jackie immediately got into the bottom bunk and I proceeded to climb the ladder and slip into the blankets.

I was asleep for at least fifteen minutes when I woke up to go to the bathroom. The house was silent. Since the house was big, I had a hard time, finding the bathroom.

"Don't worry, I'm coming." I heard a hushed whisper. I stopped in my tracks and realized the voice was Gabby's. My curiosity took over and I crept towards her bedroom door. It was half open and her room was dimly lit. I peeked into the bedroom to see Gabby in the process of sneaking out through her bedroom window. She didn't see me. I saw she had a odd object in her possession. It took me awhile to realize it was a bong.

"Carley, I'm coming." She whispered into the cell phone she held up to her ear with her free hand. Then she went out the window. Still curious, I walked to the window and looked out of it, Gabby was already down on the ground and I saw a well positioned small tramp on line.

I lost interest and discovered the nearest bathroom. I did extra layers of my makeup for tomorrow and proceeded to do my regular routine.

…..

"Everyone, get up. BREAKFAST!" I woke up to the lovely sound of Ryan. I hurried out of bed and rushed downstairs. I am the first person downstairs and I am at the table in a heartbeat. I caught of glimpse of Diana exiting the house.

"Hello, Daddy." I chirped brightly.

I smelled the sweet aroma of pancakes and scrambled eggs. "Hope you like blueberry pancakes, Mercy!" He exclaimed.

 _A man that can cook! I can't wait until this man is mine!_ I was squealing like a giddy schoolgirl in my head. Just looking at this man makes me wet.

I sat down and Ryan served me a plate of pancakes and eggs. The other children came downstairs. Gabby has returned from her little sneak out. She was humming to herself like an idiot. Once everyone was sat down, we all ate our breakfasts.

It was peaceful and quiet at first, until Gabby glanced at me and spoke up. "Mom, Mercy isn't going to the same school as me, right?" She asked.

Sarah narrowed her eyes, her voice became edgy. "Yes, why?"

"Well she needs to dress differently." Gabby exclaimed. "Because I'm going to be the laughingstock at school if she's around me."

Sarah gasped at her daughter's bold statement. I glared at the girl. _What the fuck did I do?_ I had no issues with Gabby until now. I barely interacted with this girl. _Stupid, little bitch better watch her mouth._ I thought grimly to myself.

"Gabriella, apologize." Ryan commanded.

Gabby rolled her eyes in a disrespectful manner. "No." She declared. "It's bad enough, she looks like a southernbelle! Now she's going to school with me! All of my friends will see her!" She whined.

"Gabby, shut up." Jackie chimed in, visibly annoyed with her sister's behavior. Gabby glared at Jackie. "Excuse me, but I was not talking to you." She snapped.

Sarah looked like she wanted to explode. "Gabriella, if you say one more thing, you will lose your phone for a year!" Gabby rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything. Gabby shot me a glare and I shot her one right back.

"Daddy, I saw Gabby going through the window last night." I said innocently. Instantly the table is silent. Gabby looked like a deer in headlights.

"You what?" Sarah gasped, she glared at Gabby. "Upstairs now! You did this again!" She barked.

Gabby shook her head wildy. "No! Mercy is lying, I did not sneak out!" She lied.

Ryan began to lose his temper. He raised his voice. "Gabby, UPSTAIRS! NOW!"

Gabby huffed angrily and stormed away from the table and up the stairs. I had to the fight the urge to smile. The other girls looked at all of the drama unfolding. Jackie was snickering at her sister, Kelly is disinterested, and Annie and Blake are just curious.

Sarah stormed upstairs after her daughter and they both disappeared into Gabby's bedroom. The house was filled with yelling and Gabby's crying _. Music to my ears._ I thought happily. _That'll teach the little bitch to not fuck with me._

"It's good that you told me and Mommy." Ryan praised me. He smiled broadly. "Do you have a favorite ice cream?"

"Yes, Daddy, vanilla." I said truthfully.

"Well after breakfast, I will pick up some ice cream for you, sweet pea." Ryan grinned.

The kindness emerged from this man. He adored me and cherished me, I was the apple of his eye. I know it. This is the man I yearn for. A man who is kind and gentle with me. A man who cares for me. One day, Ryan Sullivan will be mine. One day, Blake and that unborn baby inside Sarah will be mine. And I will achieve my dream.

 _Next chapter will be up soon, still working on my other stories. Reviews and thoughts._


	6. The First Day of School

The First Day of School

* * *

"FUCK!" I mumbled in Hungarian. I was inside of the bathroom, doing my regular routine. I glared at myself in the mirror as I did my makeup. "I can't believe this!" I wailed in my foreign language. Today was my first day of third grade. I am a 29 year old woman for fuck sakes!

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! I jumped in shock when I heard loud pounding on the bathroom door.

Then I heard Gabby's angry voice. "HURRY UP! MERCY, GET OUT OF THE BATHROOM!" She ordered.

I wanted to scream and yell at this girl, but I allowed this to roll down my back. The other girls were downstairs and ready for school.

Gabby, since I arrived at the home, has been a sharp thorn in my side. Especially since I ratted her out for sneaking out. I can't wait until the day I remove her from my life when I make Ryan mine. But for now, I have to deal with this moody little bitch. When I am finally Mercy once again, I exited the bathroom.

"MOVE!" Gabby roughly shoved me out of her way as she made her way into the bathroom. I nearly lost my balance and Gabby slammed the bathroom door in my face.

"Little bitch is going to pay." I exclaimed darkly. With a frustrated huff, I walked downstairs in my frilly brown dress and approached the other children. Kelly was already at school because she had her own car.

Blake was already gone, even though me and her are the "same age" Blake is in second grade because she was held back. So she went to school earlier than the other girls. Thus she doesn't go to the same school as me. Sarah was already at work and Ryan was cleaning up the dining table.

"You are seriously going to school like that?" I spun around to see Gabby on the top of the stairs, glaring at me with annoyance. "You look crazy!"

Jackie quickly came to my defense. "Leave her alone, Gabby. She's not even in the same grade as you, you will barely see her."

I smiled at Jackie. I personally did like her.

Gabby rolled her eyes as she hobbled downstairs. "Whatever, Jackie. You don't have worry about Mercy embarrassing you in front of your friends. Considering you have none." She remarked.

Jackie looked like she wanted to punch Gabby. "Well at least, I'm not grounded for a full year." She jeered.

Gabby came down the stairs and pointed a stiff finger at me. "She lied on me!" She declared.

"GABRIELLA!" Ryan hurried into the living room where we were. "Enough, young lady. Apologize to Mercy now! Apologize to your sister."

Gabby obviously had very little respect for her parents. "No." She gritted her teeth. "She is not my sister."

I could see in Ryan's face that he was fed up with Gabby's rebellious behavior. He took a deep breath and collected himself. "We will talk about this later. Your Mother will hear about this!" He warned.

Gabby didn't care and became impatient. "Can we just go?" She grumbled.

Just the disrespect from this girl is amazing. I was impressed by my Ryan's patience. I'm shocked no one slapped this bitch in the mouth.

Once Ryan dropped us at school, I felt sick to my stomach. I felt so nervous, anxious. Yes, a 29 year old woman is scared of her first day of school! "Good luck, Sweet pea. Make lots of friends." Ryan shouted out to me. I felt my spirits lift slightly. Children flooded the school grounds, I adjusted my brand new backpack and headed into my new school. I found myself in the boisterous hallway, class has not started yet and the children are free to roam the hallways and the waiting room.

Gabby abandoned me the moment we entered the school. Annie ran off with her friends and only Jackie was my companion. "Do you know where your class is?" She asked me.

I took my backpack off of my back and dug inside of it to find my schedule. When I find it, I examined it. "Yes." I confirmed.

"Good." Jackie smiled. Some girl called out to Jackie and the girl seemed to have forgotten about me in an instant. She left me alone without a word. Now I was all alone. Children looked at me like I was a freak. Some snickered at my outfit, I can't blame them. I look outdated as hell.

When the bell rung, I rushed to my class. The students gawked at me and my dress and ribbons. I was silent and I walked to a desk in the very back.

A brown haired girl that was in front of me turned her head to me and snickered at me. "Why the hell are you wearing? It's not dress up day." Other students nearby heard this and chuckled. I felt offended, I wanted to lash out at this girl. But I couldn't get in trouble on my first day. So I just sat down in my desk and said nothing. The students lost interest in me quickly when the teacher entered the room. The teacher was a middle aged woman with brown hair and brown eyes. She saw me and grinned brightly. "Mercedes, come up to the front and meet the class."

NO! NO! LEAVE ME ALONE! I wanted to scream. But I obeyed and walked up to the front. I faced the class, I felt small as their eyes pierced into me. The teacher extended her hand to me. "I am Ms. Shoaf." I shook it and forced a smile on my face. Ms. Shoaf then turned to the class after shaking hands with me.

"Children, this is Mercedes Sullivans. But she likes to be called Mercy. She is from Estonia." Ms. Shoaf announced. The students just stared at me. I felt so awkward. Ms. Shoaf softly chuckled at the odd silence. "You can sit down, right in the front." She told me.

"Yes, Ms. Shoaf." I said politely. I sat down in the desk I was assigned to. Students malicely snickered at me as I sat down.

Lunchtime is worst. The lunchroom is large and students are allowed to seat anywhere they wanted. The lunchroom was filled with middle schoolers to elementary students. I didn't see Jackie or Annie anywhere, but I did spot Gabby. She was surrounded by her many friends at a table. I decided to walk over to her table, because I didn't want to eat alone. Gabby was joking and babbling on with her friends. I learned one thing about Gabby; she was very popular in this school. She had plenty of friends from girls to boys. She was a queen bee, she had almost all of the girls in her clique. There was a redheaded girl next to her who noticed me first. "Gabby, is that your sister?" She asked.

Gabby turned her head and saw me. Her face was contorted with annoyance and bitterness. "Oh my god. No." She groaned. Her other friends saw me and gawked at me.

Gabby glared at me and got out of her seat. "Mercy, go away! Sit with your friends!" She barked. I glared back at this girl. I am fed up with everything right now. Who does this little bitch think she is?! I wished Gabby knew who she is talking to! She definitely will not be talking shit to me then. If only this girl knew how much blood I has spilled and how many lives I have taken!

"Can I sit here please?" I pleaded in a sweet voice.

"No." Gabby hissed. She then sat down and ate her meal. Her friends still snickered like idiots. Well fuck you too, bitch. I said in my head silently.

The redhead giggled. "Damn, Gabby. Just let her sit with us for once."

Gabby just rolled her eyes. I sat down at the very end of the table. Gabby glared at me once and then pretended I didn't exist. She talked and talked nonstop to her friends. I ate my meal quietly.

"You know there's a party at Kristen's house today. Wanna go?" The redhead girl offered.

Gabby looked at me. "I don't know, I'm worried some noisy brat will tell on me." She growled. I ignored Gabby and continued eating.

"So how long are you grounded?" A blonde girl inquired.

"Six months!" Gabby fumed. "My Mom is such a bitch! She didn't even let me explain! She just took Mercy's words for it and took my laptop, my ipod, and she took all of the mobile data off of my phone!"

"So your sister is from Estonia, right? Why did your parents go to a different country to adopt a kid?" A girl with dark hair asked.

"Because they're too dumb to adopt here. They just wanted something exotic, so they can brag about it at work." Gabby said sharply.

"Your mom is pregnant." The redhead remarked. "And she wants another one?" She made a silly face.

Gabby rolled her eyes. "Yeah, my Mom is retarded. She told me that all she ever wanted was a big family, but I think I have enough siblings."

This girl is full of venom. I commented in my head. I know teenagers can be horrible, but this girl is just spoiled and bitchy.

After lunchtime, I didn't see Gabby or the other girls for the rest of the day. When school was finally over, I was ready to go home. Sarah picked us up and proceeded to drive us home. "Did you have a fun time?" Sarah asked me with great excitement in her voice. "Yes." I lied.

Gabby still glared at me. "Mom, can you please tell Mercy to wear something different? She embarrassed me in front of my friends."

"Gabby, enough! You have been nothing but rude to Mercy since she got here." Sarah scolded. Gabby rolled her eyes and mumbled under her breath. "Whatever."

Jackie seemed annoyed by Gabby's behavior, but seemed to be excited for something. She had a wide smile on her face. "Mom, guess what?!" Jackie didn't wait. "I got the lead in the school play!" She squealed.

Sarah gasped happily. "Good for you, Jackie." She praised.

"Mercy, do you like plays?" She spoke to me like I was slow.

I never cared for theater. Which is ironic, considering how I act every single day. "Yes, Mommy." I lied.

"Well, Mercy, Jackie loves theater. She takes acting classes and singing classes all of the time." She boasted. "Maybe when you're older, you'll get into theater."

Jackie smiled proudly of herself. "I was great. I worked day and night to get that one song right. It was really hard because the notes are so high."

I didn't care much for the play and I stayed quiet.

Sarah took a sharp turn. "So...Annie, how was your day?" She asked.

"Good, a lot of kids were talking about Mercy." Annie replied.

Sarah's voice became high. "Oh! Mercy, did people make fun of you?" She asked in a worried voice.

"No, Mommy." I lied.

Sarah released a relieved sigh. "Good, but just remember, if you are bullied, you can tell me." Even though Sarah is my opponent, Sarah was a good mother, I'll admit. One day, I will be a better one. I think of Blake. I had no clue on how to be a Mother. But I could be kind and sweet when I needed to.

When I arrived home, I waited for Blake's school bus to arrive so I could greet her. When she does, Blake saw me waiting and ran towards me. "MERCY!" She squealed happily. She embraced me warmly. She released me and grabbed my wrist, hopping up and down. "Come on, I want to show you something."

Blake didn't wait for me to reply and tugged my wrist towards the house. Once we are in the house, Blake ran upstairs, full of energy. I could barely keep up with this hyper child. She dove into her bedroom and I followed her. Blake's room was pink and adorable. She had a purple bed, a few dressers, and piles of teddy bears and dolls.

Blake bounced towards a nearby desk and snatched up a piece of paper and showed it to me. It was a messy drawing. I saw Kelly, Jackie, Annie, Sarah, Ryan, herself, and finally me. On the very top of the paper is messily written; MY FAMILY. I felt my heart lift.

"Thank you, Blake. I love it." I cooed. Blake flashed me a toothy grin.

Me and Blake played with teddy bears and dolls until it's time for Blake's bedtime. I am walking to the bathroom when I saw Gabby in her bedroom.

I saw her on her cell phone, talking to someone. "Yes, yes, I am coming." She whispered.

I quietly walked into her room, remembering how she treated me today. "Sneaking out again, Gabriella?" I mocked. Gabby gasped out of shock and nearly dropped her phone. She put the phone back up to her ear. "I'll call you back." She then hung up the phone.

"Fuck off!" She hissed at me. I smiled wickedly and I took another step into the room, simply to piss her off.

Gabby walked towards me, looking like she wanted to punch my lights out. "OUT! NOW!" Gabby snapped.

"I'll tell Daddy that you're sneaking out again!" I threatened.

Gabby's face turned beet red. She shoved me roughly out of her room, nearly making me fall down. "HEY!" I cried. Gabby slammed the door in my face.

I pretended to cry. I threw myself to the floor and sobbed loudly. "DADDY! DADDY!" I wailed. Ryan came out of his bedroom and ran to me. He scooped me up in his warm arms and put me on my feet. "What happened?" Ryan asked alarmed.

I made sure I was hysterical and pitiful. "GABBY! SHE PUSHED ME DOWN AND SAID MEAN THINGS TO ME!" I sniveled. Ryan was under my spell at this point. He embraced comfortingly and rocked me back and forth. "It's okay. It's okay." He whispered.

"I HAD A BAD DAY AT SCHOOL. NO ONE LIKED ME! GABBY WAS SO MEAN TO ME AND THE KIDS LAUGHED AT ME!" I sobbed.

Ryan pulled away from me and gave me a sweet kiss on my head. "Mommy and I will talk to Gabby." Then Ryan smiled brightly at me. "You want some ice cream, Sweet Pea?" He offered me.

I sniffled. "Yes, Daddy." I said.

Ryan watched me eating my ice cream with a big smile. I was his world in his eyes and I loved it. I wanted to be close to my soulmate.

"Daddy, can I sleep with you tonight? To help me feel better tomorrow?" I begged.

"Of course, Sweet Pea." Ryan agreed.

When nighttime rolled around, Ryan took me to the master bedroom, Sarah was already fast asleep, her massive bump bulged in the covers. I squeezed into the middle and Ryan slept next to me. I imagined Sarah not being here. Just me and Ryan together in a bed together. I wrapped my arms around Ryan. I watched him go to sleep. "One day, you will be mine, Ryan Sullivan." I whispered in Estonian.

 _Next chapter will come out soon. Reviews and thoughts._


	7. Mercy's Fun Day

I have lived with the Sullivans for one month and I have already adjusted to my new environment. Every hour of everyday, I would focus on my relationship with Ryan and Blake. Ryan adored me, he would give me anything I wanted whenever I would open my mouth. But his feelings for me are fatherly. I'm his "little girl," his "Sweet Pea." But I want him to see me as something more. A romantic interest. I can't exactly jump the shark and try to seduce him so I am trying everything in my power to make him see me in a different light.

It was a nice Saturday afternoon when Sarah was at a doctor appointment, leaving Ryan to watch the house. Ryan planned a whole "fun" day for me and the girls. We were going to the playground and then we would go to the mall and then we would go see movie. Jackie declined, only focusing on improving her acting skills and Kelly simply wanted to study for a test. So it was only me, Gabby, Annie, and Blake who went.

"Gabby, Annie, I want you to keep a close eye on Mercy and Blake." Ryan said when he parked.

"Okay." Annie said obediently.

Gabby was not having it. "Why me?" She complained. "Dad, I don't even want to go to the Park. I am fifteen, not five!"

Ryan raised up his voice. "Gabby, do not argue with me." He said sternly. I watched Gabby roll her eyes.

"Come on!" Blake grabbed my wrist excitedly when I got out of the car, she pulled me to the swing set. "Push me!" She exclaimed. With that, she hopped into a empty swing. She was having the time of her life, her face was lit with youthful bliss and energy. I giggled at this child's exuberance. I got behind her and pushed her as hard as I could. Blake jovially laughed as I did.

I caught a glimpse of Ryan watching me from afar. He was smiling at the heartwarming moment between me and Blake. I felt elated by all of this. I have never been so happy in my life. I am in a vastly different place from where I was before. As I pushed Blake, I thought about motherhood. I want Blake to have a wonderful childhood. I wanted Sarah's unborn child to have a blissful childhood. I want Blake and my future daughter to not be like me. It's surreal to think about my true self. I have always felt comfortable being "Mercy," rather than Alanna Petrov. But there are times when I desired the day I put Mercy to rest and simply be me. But I know that will never happen.

"Blake!" A little girl with black hair ran towards us, interrupting our moment. I stopped the swing as the girl approached us. "Blake, come on! My Mom brought doughnuts for Caleb's party!" She squealed.

Blake's eyes lit up with joy. "Okay!" She bounced off of the swing. I frowned unhappy, I wanted this moment to last abit longer.

Blake turned her head. "Do you want a doughnut?" She asked me. My frown turned into a smile. "No," I wanted to let Blake have fun. "Go on." I said. Then I walked away and wandered the playground aimlessly.

As I walked, children ran around, frolicking and squealing their heads off. Then I felt a strong hand on my shoulder and was spun around. I frowned at the sight of Gabby.

"Where's Blake?" She demanded.

"With her friend." I replied hastily. I attempted to walk away, but Gabby grabbed my wrist tightly. "Do not walk away from me!" She hissed. "I said where; not who, you fucking moron!" I yanked away from her and glared at her. I am done with this little bitch, simply hearing her voice irks me! How dare she treat me like this?! I am old enough to be this bitch's mother! My mind became dark, I imagined myself having a knife in my possession, I imagined myself stabbing this girl with great brutality. I wanted to torture her. I wanted to harm her.

I lost my temper. "Fuck you, bitch!" I roared. "Touch me again and you will regret it!" Gabby appeared shocked by my vile language. She was taken aback abit. I then attempted to walk away again, but Gabby grabbed my arm roughly.

"LET ME GO!" I shrieked. Adults and parents turned their heads and looked at us. But they must have seen the situation was not serious and lost interest in us quickly. I kicked the girl in the shin, Gabby released me, groaning in pain and put a hand on her shin I kicked. "You little bitch!" She cried.

I ran off, I wanted to get far away from this bitch. "COME BACK!" Gabby shouted out. But I ignored her and jumped into the playhouse. I bolted up the stairs of the playhouse and hid behind a wall, catching my breath.

"MERCY!" I heard Gabby's frustrated yelling. I could hear her loud stomping coming up the stairs. There are two sets of stairs that led up to the second story of the playhouse, I ran down the second stairs. When I saw Gabby a few feet above me, I had an idea. I am going to teach this girl a lesson. I smiled wickedly as I watched her. Gabby was scanning the area for me, but she did not see me. Her back was turned to me. Gabby walked further into the playhouse and made her way to an opening near a pole. There is no soul in the second story of the playhouse, so I was free to do whatever I wanted. Ha! I felt so much power at this moment, I was the predator and this bitch was my unwitting prey. I crept slowly up the stairs, I tiptoed towards her silently until I'm behind her. Gabby has no idea I'm nearby. She was scanning the area of the playground, visibly looking for me. "Come on, Mercy, Dad is going to kill me if I'm not watching you. Stop being a little shit!" She cried.

I released a wild scream and charged towards Gabby, Gabby turned her head and gasped. But it's too late, I shoved the girl with both of my hands and made her lose her balance. Gabby plummeted to the ground with a shrill shriek. Gabby landed face first onto the rocks and sand. Gabby released a blood curdling scream, she was hyperventilating and sobbing her heart out. I was amazed by my action. I felt high from the thrill and victory of this moment. Hearing Gabby's cries and screams of agony was like a drug to me. I wanted to cheer and jump out of triumph. I laughed under my breath as I watched this girl squirm and twist in pain. From what I see, Gabby wasn't injured. She had a few scratches on her face, but that was about it. Gabby was just hysterical because of the pain of the fall.

"GABBY!" Annie came into my sight, she ran to her sister. Gabby kept crying and wailing like a baby.

"Mercy…" Blake's voice ceased my laughing. I turned around surprised. "BLAKE!" I gasped.

Blake looked at me with wide eyes, in her hand was a doughnut covered with a napkin. Blake's face was filled with alarm. "Mercy, why did you push Gabby?" Blake asked me.

I felt sick. No! No! I did not want Blake to see my violent tendencies. I took a step closer to Blake. "Blake," I made sure my voice was gentle and kind. "Me and Gabby were playing. I didn't mean to push her. It was an accident."

Blake didn't seem convinced. "But…...you two hate each other." She pointed out.

"I don't hate Gabby. She's mean to me, but I wouldn't never hurt her. I swear it was an accident." I lied.

Blake looked thoughtful for a moment and nodded. "Okay…" Her voice was hesitant. I feared this moment would damage our tangible relationship.

I heard Annie calling Ryan. I turned to the scene, Gabby was still wailing as Annie helped her to her feet. Ryan ran to his daughters, alarmed and frantic. "What happened?" He cried.

Ryan embraced his young daughter. Gabby pulled away from him and pointed a stiff finger at me. "MERCY PUSHED ME!" Gabby screamed. When Ryan looked at me, my blood ran cold. All of the triumph and pride vanished. I felt naked, like my facade is fading and everyone can see Alanna Petrov. My anxiety boiled within my stomach.

"That's not true!" Was all I could muster.

Ryan said nothing and returned his attention to Gabby. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He asked.

Gabby sniffled. "I'm fine."

Ryan released a relieved sigh. "Thank God."

"Mercy, we're going. Come on." Ryan's voice was stern and firm. I could tell that in his tone I was in trouble.

"Yes, Daddy." I said quietly. I was anxious of what was going to happen. I departed from the playhouse and Blake followed me like a shadow. Gabby got in the car and to the front seat before any of us, she was still crying. I crawled into the car, Blake sat next to me and Annie sat next to Blake. Ryan got into the driver seat and started the car, but he doesn't drive. "Mercy." Ryan seized my attention.

My palms become sweaty. "Yes, Daddy.." I made sure my voice is timid and innocent.

"Did you push Gabby?" Ryan asked me.

Gabby decided to butt in. "YES! SHE PUSHED ME!" She declared hysterically. Ryan took a deep breath. "Calm down, Gabriella. Let Mercy speak." Ryan said calmly. I felt guilty over the exhaustion I have put my Ryan through. Poor man. He has to deal with this moody, overly emotional teenager 24 hours a day.

"Not on purpose." I lied. "It was an accident and she fall."

Gabby turned her head towards me, her bitter eyes pierced into mine. "YOU PUSHED ME! I SAW YOU! YOU PUSHED ME!" Gabby looked at her Father. "DAD, SHE IS LYING! SHE'S CRAZY!" Gabby was purely emotional at this point.

I cried on command. "Daddy, I am sorry. I didn't do it on purpose." I gasped. "I promise!"

Blake came to my defense. "She's telling the truth. Her and Gabby were playing and Mercy accidently pushed her off the thing! Mercy didn't mean to. It was an accident!" She exclaimed. My heart lifted, I smiled at Blake. She looked at me, her innocent blue eyes gleamed with trust and affection. I could tell Blake cherished me. "Thank you." I said sincerely.

Gabby let out a angry cry and lost her temper. "You are lying!" She shrieked. "Both of you are lying. She pushed me!" Ryan groaned in exhaustion. "Gabby, please…" He grumbled.

I pretended to be remorseful. "Gabby, please, I am sorry. I didn't mean to push you. I promise. I was trying to play with you and things went wrong. I promise."

Gabby glared at me coldly. She didn't believe my bullshit at all. She knew what she saw.

Annie chimed in. She seemed sick of this situation. "Gabby, just move on. Daddy, can we just go to the mall already, please?" She said impatiently.

Gabby turned her head to her Father. "Dad, aren't you going to say anything to Mercy? You know the psycho who pushed me!"

"Mercy already apologized." Ryan began to drive. "You're not hurt and everything is fine now. Annie is right. We should all move on. It was an accident."

Gabby's hysterical voice began to crack. "NO! IT WASN'T. SHE IS LYING. SHE'S CRAZY!"

I laughed softly under my breath. Ironically she is right. I am a escaped mental patient with violent tendencies. Ha!

"DAD! LISTEN TO ME!" She seethed at her Father. "MERCY IS LYING!"

Ryan was struggling not to lose his temper. "Gabby….please...stop screaming at me. I am driving, young lady. Your sister apologized."

Gabby huffed dramatically. "MERCY IS NOT MY SISTER!" She wailed. Ryan has had enough, I admired Ryan's patience. He turned on the radio, filling the car with booming music.

I smiled to myself proudly. I wanted to kiss Ryan at this moment. I am happy that he trusted me wholeheartedly.

The tension cooled down slightly when we finally arrived at the mall. Annie's eyes lit up with exuberance. "FINALLY!" She exclaimed.

The mall is noisy and wide, people were everywhere. There are dozens of stores and shops. Gabby would give me a cold glare whenever I was in her sight. Gabby still seemed upset about the ordeal that happened earlier, but her mind slowly became focused on the fashion stores. She dragged her and all of us inside one fancy looking store. She was gazing and drooling over high heel shoes and exquisite dresses. A pang of envy hit me. I will never be able to wear shoes and dresses like these.

"Do you want anything?" Ryan asked me.

"No, Daddy." I said softly.

I wandered around aimlessly, Blake followed me like a lonely puppy. Blake had no interest in the clothing, she looked like she wanted to go already.

Gabby walked into my sight. I saw her standing near a shelf of perfume. She was gazing at them with awe. Then she grabbed one small bottle and stuffed it into her purse. My eyes widened with surprise. REALLY? I never thought much of stealing before. Odd, considering I'm a serial killer. But theft never crossed my mind. Gabby never sees us and walked away, she was heading for the entrance to leave.

"Oh my God.." I turned my head to Blake. She has witnessed what I have witnessed. Her little mouth dropped, her expression was a mixture of shock and disgust.

"Gab.." I hastily slammed my hand over her mouth, silencing her.

Blake shoved my hand away. "Gabby needs to put that thing back before she gets in trouble." I loved this child's compassion. I did like how she was looking out for her sister. But I wanted to see Gabby get in trouble again.

I looked towards the front to see a lady behind the cashier and I walked towards her. "Miss, that girl is stealing something." I said politely. I pointed a stiff finger towards Gabby as she was walking away.

The woman stared at Gabby and shouted out to her. "YOUNG LADY!" Gabby spun around with wide eyes, she saw me and she knew what's up. I gave her a wicked smile. "YOU BITCH!" She hollered.

Ryan ran over to us. "What's wrong?" He cried. The woman departed from the cashier and made her way to Gabby and snatched up her purse.

Gabby's eyes flooded with tears. "I...I..." She stuttered. She knew she was fucked.

Ryan looked at his daughter astonished. "Gabby, I can't believe this." He lamented.

The lady dug into Gabby's purse and pulled out the stolen item. Gabby burst into tears.

Ryan was unsympathetic. "GABBY, I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!" He bellowed. A flash of rage appeared on his face. I jumped from the intensity of his voice. He was finally angry, his face was beet red, veins bulge.

Gabby flinched and grew silent. She sobbed softly to herself.

This girl is a mess. I thought to myself. And that's coming from me!

Ryan took a deep breath and softened his voice when he spoke to the woman. "Miss, I am sorry about my daughter. Please do not press any charges, she will be punished to the fullest extent when she gets home."

The lady was quiet for a moment, but she agreed. "Fine, she's just a teenager and she didn't leave the store. Fine, sir." The woman sounded annoyed. She walked away and returned the item.

Ryan grabbed Gabby's arm angrily. He pulled her out of the store. "COME ON, GIRLS!" He yelled.

"What did Gabby do this time?" Annie appeared by my side. She sounded peeved. We all left the store.

Ryan's plan ended after that fiasco. We immediately left the mall and we went home. Gabby cried her eyes out the whole way. I wanted to laugh my heart out at her misery. I loved this!

When we returned home, things got better. Sarah was at home and when she was told about Gabby's behavior, Sarah was ready to explode. Ryan and Sarah chewed Gabby out, they took her cell phone and restricted her from leaving the house for nine months. Gabby kept crying and crying like the brat she was.

I felt so much thrill from all of this, I felt like I could do anything! Gabby ran upstairs and spilled into her bedroom. Ryan and Sarah were grumbling to themselves, frustrated with their rebellious daughter. "Girls, go upstairs." Sarah ordered me, Annie, and Blake. Blake and Annie goes ahead of me and hurried upstairs, my foot is on the first step when the doorbell rang. Sarah's entire mood changed. "OH! THAT'S RACHEL!" She said excitedly.

Sarah hurried towards the front door and opened the door. A young woman entered the home and embraced Sarah. She was a pretty woman, she had fiery red hair that was long and wavy, she had gleaming blue eyes, and a slender body. "Sarah, how's the baby?" She put her hands on Sarah's belly.

"Kicking like crazy." Sarah expressed.

Rachel looked up at Ryan. She gave him a sunny smile, strolled over to him, and embraced him. "It's great to see you again!" Rachel said cheerfully. I felt a pang of jealousy run through me. No woman deserves to touch my man!

I became curious in the woman. "Hello," I strolled over to her with a wide smile on my face. I extended a cordial hand to her. "My name is Mercy." I introduced myself.

Rachel looked at me with amazement. "OO! I love your accent!" She gushed. She shook my hand. "My name is Rachel, I'm a good friend of your Mommy."

Sarah was smiling brightly. "Mercy, Rachel has been my friend since we were in kindergarten! You can call her your Aunt, if you want!" She exclaimed.

I raised an eyebrow as if I was stupid. "Mommy, what about Auntie Diana?" I asked if I cared for that woman. I examined the woman closely. I felt envious looking at her. I felt threatened.

"Diana was just visiting us. She went back home. Rachel is here visiting family and she'll be staying with us for a few weeks."

"Amazing." I said in a happy voice. I smiled broadly at Rachel. Rachel's arm was draped around Ryan's shoulder, she was smiling like an idiot. Ryan looked oblivious and Sarah didn't bat an eye.

….

After a tiring day at school, I returned home by myself. Annie was at her dance practice, Jackie was practicing her lines at school, Gabby was at her cheerleading practice, Kelly was at a friend's home, and Blake was at a sleepover. I am all alone with Rachel.

Rachel paid me very little mind. I kept to myself and made myself a snack. It was very quiet in the house when I heard a loud phone tone beeping in the living room. I became curious and exited the kitchen to still hear the phone ringing. I didn't see Rachel anywhere and I walked into the living room. On the coffee table was an iphone that belonged to Rachel. It was Ryan who was calling her. The phone call ringing ended and I saw six messanges on this woman's phone. I clicked on the messages and saw something that nearly made me vomit. It was her naked as bird in her shower. She was posing in a seductive way, flashing a dimple smile to the camera. The photo was attached to a message to Ryan. "Do you like what you see?" This message is a three weeks old and Ryan never responded to this message.

At this moment, my suspicions was confirmed. This woman is a threat to me! She wants my man!

On the same day, Rachel sent other messages to Ryan.

 _Ryan, how are you doing. I want to visit you. I hope you liked my photo._

 _Ryan, call me! I want to talk to you._

 _I would love if you come down here and visit me. Just don't bring Sarah, kay. She would lose it, call me, okay._

Eventually Ryan did respond to this.

 _Rachel, please. Stop. I am married and Sarah is your best friend. Stop sending me this kind of shit._

Rachel is obviously not deterred by this message of rejection and she would go onto send lewd photos of herself for a another week. Ryan would respond to her and would beg her to stop.

 _Why didn't he just ignore her?_ I asked myself silently. Rage ran through me. I despised this woman. She was a whore. A homewrecker. Ryan is my man! Not Sarah's or this whore's. MINE! Ryan is supposed to be faithful to me! I wanted to kill this woman. Rachel needed to go! I looked around and still saw no sign of this bitch. I hated her more than Gabby! I had no issue getting my hands dirty again, I'm not going to do anything to Sarah because she's pregnant and I'm not going to do anything lethal to the children right now because of the risks. But Rachel was freegram. I imagined myself grabbing the sharpest knife in the kitchen, stalking her like a predator, and slicing her up like swiss cheese. I left Rachel's phone alone.

Rachel is gonna leave this house in pieces! My mind became dark. I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a knife that was lying in the sink. It was a narrow knife, sharp to the tip. I smiled evilly at the knife. I couldn't kill her in the house. I needed to lure her out. I needed no witnesses and no chances of witnesses. I needed to wait until the perfect moment arrives. I heard a sudden toilet flush downstairs. I put the knife on the kitchen counter. Rachel would be here for several weeks. I was willing to wait _. Alanna, you better not fuck this up!_ I screamed at myself in my head.

 _ **Reviews and thoughts, please. I will be working on my other stories, these chapters were already typed up. I hope you like this story. Give me your thoughts.**_


	8. Rachel

It was a full week after Rachel arrived at the house. It was the beginning of September when Rachel was home alone with me, Jackie, and Ryan. It was a Sunday and Sarah was at the dentist with Blake and Gabby, Kelly, and Annie were at a friend's house. I avoided Rachel as best as I could, I plotted on how I was going to dispose of her. I wanted her death to be painful and agonizing. Rachel paid me no mind. She was constantly around Ryan. I could see on Ryan's face that he was uncomfortable by Rachel's seductive nature.

I sat in the room I shared with Jackie. My original bedroom was now Rachel's. Jackie was practicing for her play. She's a talented girl, I'll admit. Her singing voice is quite lovely. I listened to this young girl's soprano voice as she sang. Jackie rehearsed her playscript over and over again.

I decided to take a break from watching the girl and headed into the bathroom to take a warm bath. I placed my makeup products and other items in my bookbag and placed it on the bathroom counter.

I closed the door and then I heard Rachel's voice emerging from her bedroom. "Ryan!" She cried out. Without thought, I opened the bathroom door a slight crack. I looked through the crack to see Ryan approaching Rachel in the hallway. They were feets away from the bathroom, but neither of them seemed to notice me. Ryan's back is to me, but I could see from his body language he was not comfortable.

Rachel's expression was bubbly and ditzy. "Ryan, come on. You know you want me." With that, Rachel wrapped her arms around Ryan like an octopus, she pressed her body up against Ryan and giggled. Her voice became seductive and sultry. "Ryan, you loved my photos, you're not dumb. You want me." Her eyes were dancing with lust.

Ryan struggled to get away from Rachel. "Please get off of me!" He cried. Ryan managed to slip away, his tone was stern and direct. "Rachel, no. I'm married to Sarah." Ryan backed away.

Rachel is not deterred. "Ryan, Sarah will never know. I won't tell her." She promised.

Ryan groaned in annoyance. "No." He objected. Then he turned around and walked away from Rachel. Rachel still didn't notice me. She was still smiling like an idiot.

I was proud of Ryan for rejecting this whore's advances. Rachel was not a ugly woman. She was young and vivacious. She had no children and was single. I has watched this woman from afar for several days, I remembered how the very next day, she arrived in the house, she was walking briskly around the house in very revealing clothing when Sarah and the children were not home. I was, Sarah wanted to take me and the girls to a movie, but I declined to be with Ryan. Rachel had her red hair tied into a perky ponytail, her eyes gleamed with happiness, the shirt she wore showed her cleavage and she wore skimpy shorts. She looked like a teenage girl in high school.

Ryan was in the living room with me, me and him were watching a comedy movie as we sat on the couch. Before Rachel came in, I was in a deep state of bliss and warmth. I wasn't even paying attention to the film, I lost interest in it very quickly. I only focused on Ryan. I laid my head on Ryan's warm chest, he put a kind arm over me and we just both sat there and watched. It was a nice, tranquil moment for me. Then Rachel barged in with her promiscuous attire. She stood in front of the TV and smiled cheerfully. Ryan's eyes widened with shock. "Rachel...what...why are you..." His voice trailed off. I wanted to lash out at this piece of trash! I glared at her coldly.

"Daddy and I were watching a movie." I exclaimed upset.

Rachel gave me a sweet look. "I'm sorry, Mercy, but me and Daddy need to talk. So go upstairs and be a good girl, kay?" She ordered me like a dog.

Ryan began to lose his patience. "Rachel, please, stop! Not in front of Mercy! Come on, you know better than this!" Ryan ranted. Ryan glanced at me. "Go upstairs, honey. Daddy needs to talk to your Mother's friend." On one hand, I did admire his compassion towards him. He didn't want his innocent "daughter" to be exposed to a whore like Rachel, but I hated that Rachel ruined our peaceful moment together. I obeyed Ryan and Rachel and Ryan had many long winded screaming matches after I left. My entire day was ruined.

Ryan is a man I yearn for. A loyal, loving, and doting man that would cherish and love me to the day I die. That's all I ever wanted.

I nonchalantly closed the bathroom door. "That whore needs to die soon." I said in Hungarian.

I got into my bathwater, it was soothing and hot. I relaxed in the bathtub with my thoughts running through my mind. I could hear Rachel going downstairs, talking and chattering to someone on her cell phone. I heard Jackie's beautiful singing voice through the thin walls. I don't think the girl witness the event that just happened.

The house is quiet when I get out of the bathtub. I do my makeup and my regular "Mercy" routine. I turned the doorknob and opened the door. Within that moment, the silence of the house is broken by Rachel's sudden shouting.

"RYAN, LISTEN TO ME!" She cried out. I walked out of the bathroom in my fresh clothes and I followed the commotion. I made my way to the staircase, Ryan and Rachel were in the living room, bickering.

Ryan was visibly annoyed and uncomfortable. "Rachel, please…" He said. I rolled my eyes at my man's henpecked nature. GROW A FUCKING SPINE! I wanted to scream out.

"Ryan," Rachel came closer to Ryan, so close she could kiss him. Rachel put her hands on his shoulders. "Ryan, just don't tell Sarah." Ryan attempted to squirm away from Rachel.

"No, Rachel." He protested.

Rachel did not get the message. I gasped sharply when Rachel planted a forceful kiss onto Ryan's lips. The kiss did not last long, Ryan pushed Rachel away, he pushed her so hard she fell to the floor.

Rachel looked astonished. "Ryan!" She cried out.

"Oh my God…." I turned around to see Jackie right behind me. Her eyes were full of tears, her face was contorted with disgust and shock.

"DAD!" Jackie called out. The look on Ryan's face spoke a thousand words. The man looked up at me and Jackie with horror and astonishment in his eyes.

"Jacqueline! Mercy! NO! NO!" Ryan wailed. I glared at Rachel with hatred. This homewrecker is going to suffer!

"DAD! WHY? WHY?" Jackie bursted into tears. She sobbed heavily. I almost felt sorry for the young girl. I have no idea how much she seen. But I assume she didn't see much considering how she is solely blaming her Father.

"Jackie, please..listen to me." Ryan made his way to the stairs.

"DAD, HOW COULD YOU DO THIS? WHY?" Jackie sniveled.

I decided to play up the card. Considering the situation, I didn't want to look out of place. I pretended to be sad and cry myself. "Daddy, what is happening? Why were you kissing Rachel?" I wept.

Ryan looked like he wanted to disappear at that moment. Ryan ran up to the stairs and to me. He embraced me tightly.

"Mercy, no….no...Daddy loves Mommy…." He whispered.

I cried some more. I felt pity for this man. Ryan was such a kindred spirit. He did love Sarah and he is obviously faithful. Hopefully he will be the same for me. Hopefully I will be able to break that bond between this couple, so I could take Ryan for myself.

Ryan released me and comforted a hysterical Jackie. "Jackie, please, listen to me. Rachel kissed me. I am not cheating on your Mother. I would NEVER cheat on Mom!" His voice was sincere and passionate.

Jackie looked at her Father, she sobbed softly. She didn't say anything.

"RYAN!" Rachel hollered. I watched Rachel pick herself up and stormed towards the stairs. I glanced at Ryan, a flash of anger appeared on his face. He raised his voice. "NO! RACHEL, LEAVE THIS HOUSE! NOW!" He barked. Rachel stopped in her tracks at the intensity of his voice.

Rachel narrowed her eyes and stood there for a moment. She looked at me and Jackie with a odd look in her eyes. Her face suddenly softened. "Ryan, I….I…" Her eyes became glassy and her voice pitiful. "I am so sorry, I didn't know the girls were watching us…..Ryan...I am so sorry." She pleaded.

Ryan is not sympathetic. I wanted to laugh at this homewrecker's crocodile tears. I could tell she was struggling to make herself truly cry. I mastered that skill years ago!

"GET OUT! JUST GET OUT!" Ryan lost his temper. I actually became wet at the tone of his voice. Just his passionate intensity of his voice made my heart swoon. I can't wait until this man is mine. I made myself cry harder. Rachel backed away, she silently exited the house with wide eyes.

Ryan exhaled heavily. I felt so much pity for this man. He was exhausted I could tell. Drained emotionally from Rachel's antics.

I wiped a tear from my eyes. "Daddy, why was Rachel kissing you?"

Ryan looked at me with worried eyes. "Mercy, just remember Daddy loves Mommy." He said. Ryan turned his attention to Jackie. "Jackie, take Mercy to her room and….relax." Ryan ordered. I wanted to cuss out of frustration. This was one of the disadvantages of being "Mercy," since I look like a little girl, I am going to be treated like a little girl.

I held my tongue as Jackie grabbed my wrist and dragged me into the bedroom. I climbed up to my bunk and Jackie closed the door.

"I can't believe this!" She said tearfully. "I mean...just why?"

I sniffled. "I hope Mommy doesn't find out." This made Jackie sob harder.

"I just can't believe this just happened! Rachel is Mom's best friend! How could she do this?" Jackie vented through her sobs.

Because she is a whore and a back stabber. Is what I wanted to say. But since no eight year old girl talks like that, I said. "She probably doesn't like Mommy at all. I hope Daddy is okay, he looked super tired."

Jackie wiped her tears. "He's just tired, Mercy. He's fine. Everything is going to be fine. I promise." With that, Jackie came up to me and embraced me warmly. "Everything is going to be fine.." Jackie murmured to herself. It was obvious that Jackie was saying this to herself, more than me. I did feel slight pity for this young girl. She clearly never experienced an event like this before. She was confused and scared of the future. I sat on the bunk quietly and thought to myself. Imagining how exactly I was going to dispose of Rachel. I needed to be alone. I need a perfect weapon. I need to have a thorough plan. But as I plotted, another idea popped into my head.

"I need to go and take a shower." I said.

Jackie nodded her head, she was lying on her bunk bed, still softly weeping.

I climbed down and hurried out of the room. "Please, tell me she left it!" I whispered to myself. I rushed downstairs and to my luck, I saw it. Rachel left her cell phone in the living room. Ironically in the same place, I got it before. Rachel must have forgot about it. I was all alone in the living room, I could still hear Jackie's soft weeping. I saw no sign of Ryan.

I clicked the screen and was relieved to see the phone did not have a lock system. I immediately go into the messanges. Rachel was still posing for nude pictures of herself. At least ten to be exact. I read her messages to Ryan. They were all lewd and seductive. Then I saw Sarah's contact and smiled evilly. I pressed my finger onto one of the nude photos and sent it to the Gallery. I went to Sarah's contact and I prepared her an attachment message with the photo. I was deep in thought. I thought of the most traitorous words I could think of. Rachel was obviously a backstabber to Sarah. She came to her friend's house to mess around with her husband. I do not care much for Sarah to be honest, but I know a thing about being used and betrayed.

Finally I came up with the right words.

Ryan, I hope you like this! Don't tell Sarah, kay. Then I pressed "send."

…

I imagined Sarah's face when she read this. Hopefully this will cause a rift between the couple. I must find a way to break these two up. I felt proud of myself.

Rachel returned to the house, fifteen minutes after she left. "Oh, hello, Mercy." She greeted me cheerfully. I walked up to this woman, trying my best to not spit in this chick's face. "Hello, Rachel."

Under my mask of happiness was unbridled rage. I saw images of her kissing my Ryan in my mind.

Rachel bent down to me. I could smell the scent of tobacco on this woman. "Mercy, sweetie. Me and your Daddy was just playing." Rachel told me.

I nearly rolled my eyes. Rachel kept talking to me. "Don't tell Mommy, okay? Mommy will not be happy with me if you do." She begged me.

I simply nodded. "Yes, Rachel." I said politely. Rachel looked pleased and I walked away from this whore with disgust in my soul. I hurried into the kitchen and gazed at the knives. I heard the TV turn on in the living room. I decided the best way to conceal my weapon would be my brand new Winter coat. Today this homewrecker was gonna die!

I went upstairs into the bedroom and saw no sign of Jackie. I grabbed my coat out of the closet and I also grabbed a extra dress of mine and folded it neatly. I swiftly put on my coat. Every minute counted, I was barely thinking as I hurried downstairs and out the backdoor. It was a chilly afternoon, I shivered even in my thick coat. I ran into the forest that surrounded the house. I ran at least a good ten feets away from the house and placed my clothes on the ground. Then I ran as fast as I could back into the house. I stopped for a quick second for a break to breath. I glanced at Rachel. She paid me no attention at all, she was engrossed in whatever she was watching on TV. I never heard Jackie's weeping. I hurried into the kitchen and concealed a kitchen knife into my coat.

"Rachel." I made my way to her. Rachel's attention was seized. She looked at me perplexed by my outfit. "Why are you wearing a coat inside?" She asked me.

"I'm going outside." I excused. "Daddy is outside, he wants to talk to you." I added.

Rachel raised an eyebrow. I saw the interest in her eyes. Then a flash of skepticism appeared on her face. "Why? And why is Ryan telling you to get me?" She demanded.

"Daddy is worried Mommy will come back. He wants to make sure he talks to you alone." I lied. Rachel looked at me for a long time. Then she got up from the couch. She picked up her cell phone and put it into her pant pocket. "Fine." Rachel said softly. I smiled ear to ear.

"Let me get my jacket first." Rachel said, strolling over to the nearby coat rack and grabbing her purple jacket. She put it on and I hurried to the backdoor. I watched impatiently as this woman struggled to zip up her jacket. "Hurry!" I fumed.

"Do not rush me!" Rachel scolded sharply. I rolled my eyes and I became quiet. I waited for the woman to finally come to me. I opened the door and I walked out of the house with Rachel behind me. I was in disbelief that my plan actually worked. I was simply winging it when I said Ryan was outside. I chuckled under my breath at this woman's naivety. A chilly wind made me tremble.

"Ryan is out here?" Rachel questioned me as I led her into the thick forest. Rachel crossed her arms as she shivered from the coldness. Her red hair danced in the wind.

"Yes. Daddy wanted to be far, far, far away from the house." I lied. Rachel said something incoherent under her breath. Once we are far enough in the forest, I pointed a stiff finger into the distance.

"Mercy, we are deep in the woods." Rachel complained. "Where is your Daddy?" She sounded frustrated.

"Over there, Rachel." I said bluntly. I was still pointing. Rachel appeared hesitant, confusion and doubt filled her expression. I could sense how uncomfortable she felt at this moment. I loved it! Rachel took slow steps into my direction, when the woman's back is to me, I pulled out my knife. I smiled evilly, I felt the adrenaline pumping inside of me. My heart was pounding a mile a minute.

"Mercy...I don't think your Dad…" I cut her off.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, BITCH!" I plunged the knife into the woman's back with great force. Rachel released a blood curdling scream that hurt my ears. Rachel fell to her knees, I yanked out the knife and stabbed her again in the same place. A harsh, shrill scream escaped her. I didn't stop, within seconds, I was stabbing Rachel ruthlessly. I stabbed her in her legs, her arms, stomach, and chest. Blood splattered on my face and clothes. Rachel was squirming and wiggling like a helpless animal, screaming and wailing in agony. I relished at the helplessness of Rachel. As I stabbed her, memories of Rachel kissing Ryan zoomed through my mind. I thought of Rachel in her skimpy outfit, flirting with Ryan. All of those thoughts filled with me with fury and rage to the brim. The more I stabbed, the more savage I became.

Rachel was a fighter, though. She was a scrapper, I was able to dodge several kicks from her. At one point, I suddenly felt Rachel's foot impact my stomach, knocking me off balance. I fell on my butt and my knife fell to my feet, stopping my attack. Rachel was unable to stand up, she laid on her back, her own blood surrounded her. Rachel weakly rolled onto her back. Her clothes and body was soaked with blood. Despite her multiple stabbing wounds, Rachel was still alive, Rachel was pale as snow, she was using all of her strength not to slip into unconsciousness. Rachel's glassy eyes flicked to me. "Stay away from me." She muttered frightened. She was taking in labored breaths, she was struggling to contain air.

I picked myself up and stood over her helpless frame. Her eyes widened with terror. I relished all of this! I smiled brightly. "What's wrong, Rachel? You don't look good.." I mocked her in a lighthearted voice.

I brandished the bloody knife in her face. I chuckled when she flinched. "You should have stayed away from MY Ryan, bitch! You think you can come here in my territory and do shit like that! NOPE!" I growled. I placed the tip for the knife onto Rachel's left cheek. I slowly began to dig the knife into her skin and I went down to her chin, printing a fresh red line on her face. A small shriek of agony escaped her throat. Then I stepped away from her. "Rachel, let's play a game. Tag. You move to get away from me and I chase you." I smiled brightly and watched her.

"Mercy...no….please…." She whimpered. Perhaps Rachel was too scared to think, but she mindlessly accepted my challenge and she attempted to feebly crawl away from me. Out of spite, I walked very slowly like a snail, so I could give her the false satisfaction of her winning the "game." I giggled at how pathetic she looked. Rachel made it a few inches and became limp. She was still alive, barely breathing. I walked up to her with a evil smile. I put my hand on her arm and laughed maliciously. "I win!"

I plunged the knife into her chest with all of my strength. Rachel screamed in agony. Blood rose out of Rachel's mouth. I stood over her with a grin, I was up to the brim with adrenaline. I felt so powerful at this moment. I gazed at my victim an relished her misery and terror.

"Oh, Rachel, Sarah was your best friend and this is how you treat her. You knew her from kindergarten and she loved you like a sister. And you repay her by coming here to fuck her husband." I taunted. Rachel began to sob hysterically.

Then I decided to finish it. I raised my knife, Rachel's eyes bulged. "NO! NO!" Was all she could shriek out. I jammed the knife into her neck repeatedly. After the ninth knife stab, I knew she was dead. I gazed at Rachel's lifeless body in triumph.

I was drenched in blood. My clothes, my hair, my face. I resourcefully used the inside of my coat to wrap the blood off of my face. I rubbed the insides of my coat onto my creamy hair until I looked presentable. I hurried away from Rachel's body and searched for the fresh clothes I was left nearby.

I found them quickly. I stripped completely naked, I slammed my clothes on the ground. I swiftly slipped into my new dress, a light yellow frilly dress with shoes to match. I looked at my blood soaked clothes. I wanted to burn them, but I had no matches. I piled up the bloody clothes in my arms and placed the knife into the bloody coat. I rushed into the house with great speed. I was fortune, the house was still silent. Jackie was in her room, probably thinking about what she witnessed and Ryan was probably somewhere in the house. I was still paranoid, I was afraid that Sarah or someone would pop out of nowhere and would spot me. I hurried into the laundry room in the basement. I opened the washer and jammed my blood soaked clothes and shoes into the washer. I made sure to pour bleach into the washer. Then I turned it on and hurried to deal with the murder weapon.

Cleaning the knife was simple. I basically washed it with soap and water. I dried it with a towel and placed it where I previously found it. I felt so much pride and glory. Rachel deserved what happened to her! Now Ryan was safe. I remembered what I did before, texting Sarah that lewd photo. I never heard Sarah call or text Rachel, now Rachel will never be able to reply back to Sarah or anyone.

"Mercy." Ryan emerged out of one of the downstair bathroom. He approached me. "Mercy, Mommy is going to come home very, very soon." I could hear the panic in this man's voice. He obviously feared his wife's reaction.

"Daddy, don't worry. I will not tell Mommy, I promise." I reassured him. I embraced Ryan and planted a sweet kiss on his forehead. "I love you, Daddy." I whispered.

 _Next chapter will be up soon. Reviews. I am now working on my other stories._


	9. Rifts

I waited patiently for Sarah to return home. I sat in the living room with great anticipation in my chest. Ryan was in the kitchen, cooking dinner. Jackie was in her bedroom, singing and rehearsing her lines. The afternoon was normal and peaceful. It was almost like I didn't recently murder Rachel in the forest. In the cold, Rachel's lifeless, battered corpse laid in the forest near the house. I felt pure glee. No guilt or remorse existed in my mind or soul.

Ryan turned on the radio in the kitchen and listened to some pop music. He was poorly singing along with the lyrics. Ryan was now in a peppy mood considering how frantic he was earlier.

I smelled the delicious aroma of alfredo pasta. Even though I loved the fact that Ryan could cook, I was disappointed at the same time. I personally believed in a traditional lifestyle for a woman. I thrived to be a dutiful housewife. A simple life I always wanted. I wanted to cook, clean, and care for the children. When I'm the matriarch of the house, I will make sure that Ryan will never has to lift a finger!

Everything was quaint until the front door unlocked. Sarah entered the house with a blank expression on her face. Blake and Annie were acting oblivious and indicted nothing was amiss.

Then the house became silent when Sarah raised her voice. "RYAN!" She hollered angrily. Her face contorted with anger and fury. Ryan scurried out of the kitchen and approached his wife with shocked eyes. Blake and Annie paused in their tracks, they stood stiffly and watched their livid Mother berate their Father.

Sarah narrowed her eyes furiously. "HOW DARE YOU?! RYAN, YOU WORTHLESS BASTARD!" She seethed.

Ryan's eyes widened with panic. Ryan opened his mouth, but was interrupted by Jackie bursting out of her bedroom. "Mom, wait! Let Daddy explain!" She cried out. With that, Jackie dove downstairs and to her Father. Sarah was not having it. She yanked her cell phone out of her purse and showed it to Ryan.

"YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN THIS?!" She screamed hysterically. She was beet red, flowing tears going down her cheeks.

Jackie's eyes widened. She defended her Father. "Mom, Dad didn't do anything!"

Sarah glared at Jackie, she spoke through her gritted teeth. "GO UPSTAIRS! ALL OF YOU!" Annie and Blake didn't waste time, they ran to their bedrooms, obviously not wanting to see the rest of this event. I wanted to watch this all unfold and I stayed on the couch defiantly. Jackie refused to leave her Father's side. She was his defendant at this point.

"Mom, calm down. Rachel…." Jackie was cut off by her Mother. Sarah's voice was filled with intensity. She didn't seem to care that Jackie and I were in the room anymore. She focused on a frightened looking Ryan.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH! WHERE IS RACHEL? WHERE IS THAT WHORE?" She screeched. "WHY DO YOU HAVE NUDE PICTURES OF RACHEL AND WHY DID SHE SEND IT TO YOU?" Trust me, Sarah. She is far away now. I chuckled in my head darkly.

Ryan stuttered nervously. Sarah glared at him coldly, awaiting his answer. "I told her to stop, Sarah. I…...swear…..I would never cheat on you….I promise….Please...understand…" Ryan croaked.

Sarah rolled her eyes impudently. "THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?" She roared. "YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME, ANOTHER WOMAN WAS TEXTING YOU! I AM PREGNANT WITH YOUR CHILD AND YOU ARE TEXTING ANOTHER WOMAN!"

"Sarah….I didn't want to tell you because Rachel is your best friend. You two have known each other since you were five. I thought me telling you would hurt you." Ryan said kindly.

"Please, Mom. Dad is telling the truth, Rachel kissed him! He is not cheating on you!" Jackie wailed vehemently.

Sarah's eyes flickered. Sarah looked like she was seconds from exploding, her eyes became razor sharp, she balled up her fists. "RACHEL KISSED YOU!" Sarah seethed.

Ryan glanced at his daughter, then at his wife. "Yes, she did. But I pushed her away!" Ryan admitted truthfully. Sarah was breathing heavily. She appeared deep in thought. Then she broke down into tears. "RACHEL KISSED YOU?!" Her voice was full of hurt. Her emotions switched from hurt to rage.

"WHERE IS SHE?" Sarah demanded angrily. "WHERE IS SHE? TELL ME!"

Ryan shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. She ran out after she kissed me." Ryan explained.

Sarah looked at Ryan like he was stupid. "What are you talking about? Her car is still here!" She pointed out. She raised her voice. "WHERE IS SHE, RYAN?"

Ryan realized my presence and attempted to use me as a way to calm Sarah. "Sarah, you are frightening the children. Just calm down." He begged.

Sarah was not having it. "SHUT THE HELL UP!" She snarled. "WHERE IS SHE? I AM GOING TO KICK HER LITTLE ASS!" With that, she stormed off, looking for Rachel. "RACHEL, WHERE ARE YOU? STOP HIDING, YOU SLUT!" Ryan turned to Jackie. "Take Mercy upstairs." He commanded. Jackie obeyed, she took me upstairs. I watched Sarah hobbling around the house, fuming and cussing like a sailor. Ryan attempted to talk to her, but the two only went into a few minutes screaming match. Me and Jackie are sitting in our bedroom when Sarah finally gave up.

"YOU ARE SLEEPING ON THE COUCH!" Sarah bellowed. I heard her angry stomping up the stairs and the booming sound of her bedroom door slam. The house was silent after that. Jackie was softly weeping to herself. I gave the girl space and pretended she didn't exist. I was happy with the rift I caused this couple. I thought of Blake. I became worried about the effects of Sarah and Ryan fighting. I remembered my childhood. My parents were both loving towards me, but not to each other. On the surface, my family looked and acted like a picture perfect family. But behind closed doors, the reality of my childhood was mixed with dehumanizing abuse and twisted love. My parents fought constantly, but they were able to act like a affectionate couple in the public eye. But there were many times when I witnessed them having explosive fights. My Mother was often the victim of these fights. My Father was known to have a short fuse, he would hospitalize my Mother several times after he beats her. My Mother was very dependent on my Father, up to the point of obsessive. I remembered a long period where my parents turned their marriage into an open one. My Mother had a mental breakdown one night and attempted to stab the woman my Father brought home. When my two disorders were discovered, my life and their relationship worsened. I do not want Blake to have that life. I know Sarah and Ryan are not abusive, but I do not want Blake to see her parents bickering and screaming at each other. I should have done this stunt when Blake was not around. But there is nothing I could do about the past.

I walked out the bedroom and headed to Blake's bedroom. Blake was sitting at her small desk, she was scribbling on a piece of paper. "What are you doing, Blake?" I asked in a bright voice.

"Homework." Blake explained plainly.

I scrolled over to Blake with a broad smile. "I could help you. What's kind of homework?" With that, I stood next to Blake and gazed down at her homework. It was simple basic math. I was a good student when I was in school. I was an honor student and was described as highly intelligent. Doing my current homework is a breeze for me.

"Here...let me help." I chirped. Blake gave me a grateful smile. "Thank you, Mercy." Everything is peaceful for a long time, I tutored Blake with her homework for several minutes.

Blake tapped on my shoulder. "Mercy, why was Mommy and Daddy fighting?" Her voice was thick with concern.

I pretended to be clueless. "I don't know." I gave the girl a sweet kiss on the forehead. "Everything is fine. I promise. Things will go back to normal soon." I told her gently. I playfully rustled my "daughter's" hair and giggled. "Things will be fine."

Blake nodded her head. "I hope you're right." She said lightly.

….

It was a cold Monday morning when me and the other girls were taken to school. I walked down the hallway with my English book in my arms. I paid no attention to their odd stares and snickering from the children. Then a foot struck purposely tripped me. I fell on my knees, my book slipped out of my hand.

"Shit.." I muttered stunned. I heard cruel laughter from the students, the laughter flooded the hallway. Some were gawking at me and whispering among themselves. I hastily picked up my book and regained my balance.

"Oh, sorry, Princess. I didn't see you." I turned around to a redheaded girl with a malicious smile. She looked to be around the age of eleven. But despite her age, she towered over me. I would eventually learned information on this girl. Her name was Chloe and her older sister, Kirsten was best friends with Gabby.

I could see the glee in this child's eyes. I glared at her coldly. Chloe gave me a cocky look. "Why do you dress like that? You do know it's not Halloween." She mocked. Two other girls watched this ordeal, they were right behind Chloe, laughing and giggling in amusement.

I rolled my eyes and took a menacing step towards the girl. I will not be anyone's doormat! I don't give a fuck if this girl is a minor. I am not afraid to kick a little bitch's ass! I'm a serial killer who escaped a mental hospital for christ sake!

My voice was hollow and emotionless. "Trip me again and I will show you what's scary!" I threatened.

Chloe was taken aback, but her pride was too big. She gave me a hard shove. "FUCK YOU!" She barked. I was enraged, I felt my blood boil. I balled my fists, ready to pounce on this girl. Children looked at us interested.

"CHLOE HOFFMAN!" I turned around to see a plump teacher running over to us. She headed towards Chloe and grabbed her wrist. "OFFICE NOW!" She roared.

Chloe's eyes widened with terror. She pointed a accusing finger at me. "SHE STARTED IT!" She screamed.

The teacher did not care, she dragged the hysterical girl away from me. I smiled with glee. I was disappointed that I didn't have the chance to kick this kid's ass, but at least I don't have to worry about her now. One of her friends glared at me. "Stupid bitch!" She insulted me. Impulsive, I shot up the middle finger at the child. Other kids laughed in amusement. The girl was in shock at my vulgar language. The other girl grabbed her arm and pulled her away. "Fucking bitch." I heard her mumble.

It was during Lunchtime when Chloe messed with me again. I was in the bathroom alone, simply minding my business. I was washing my hands when Chloe entered the room. Chloe gasped out of surprise when she saw me. We exchanged a look. Chloe glared at me angrily. "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT?" She seethed. "YOU GOT ME DETENTION!"

I rolled my eyes and pretended the girl didn't exist. Chloe did not like being ignore. "HEY, YOU BETTER LISTEN TO ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!" She roughly grabbed my shoulder and spun me around to face her. I gritted my teeth, every second, my rage grew and grew. I jerked away from her, I tensed myself up, ready to bawl. If this bitch wants to fight, I will not disappoint her!

I raised my voice. "TOUCH ME ONE TIME! I FUCKING DARE YOU!" I snarled. I inched closer to her, I could see in her eyes that she did not expect me to react like this. Then determination flashed in her eyes.

"FUCK YOU!" She roared. Then within a split second, she threw a good right punch and nailed me in the nose. The punch was hard and quick, I staggered back. Then unbridled rage fueled me. Within seconds, I charged the girl and tackled her to the floor. Once I was on top of her, I pounded her face in. Chloe and I wrestled a bit, eventually Chloe managed to kick me off of her. I jumped to my feet and spotted a textbook left on the sink counter by a forgetful student. I swiftly grabbed it and charged at Chloe. Chloe had no time to move when I slammed the book on her head with all of my strength. Chloe fell to the floor with a sharp gasp. I put the book down and pounced on her like a wild animal. I suddenly became worried that a student would wander into the bathroom, so I got up and grabbed the bitch by her hair. "OWW!" Chloe wailed frantic.

"BE QUIET!" I hissed. Chloe became rigid with fright. I could tell by now she realized that she fucked with the wrong person. I dragged the frightened girl into the last stall and I closed the door and locked it. I smiled full of malice at the girl and I slammed her head down hard on to the floor. The girl was limp and stunned from my first attack. I wanted this girl to suffer, I wanted to torture her. I wanted to make her life a living hell.

I got on top of her again and wrapped my hands around her throat and squeezed hard. Chloe struggled viciously. She could barely breathe, she was trembling in terror. She then began to cry. I shook her vigorously. "Do you think I'm still a Princess now?" I taunted. "Still want to fight me, bitch?" Chloe's face was bright red, she quickly became limp. I squeezed her throat tighter and tighter. I stared her in the eyes with a smile. I could kill this girl at any moment. I shook her violently and slammed her head again against the hard floor. Chloe released a pitiful whimper. Tears of fear swelled in her eyes. Chloe was gasping violently for air, she was petrified! Even though I was capable of removing this brat's life, I did not want to risk it. If a body pops up and I'm around, I could be locked up. "Mer..Mercy..please..." Chloe whimpered weakly. Her eyes were bulging. She was already turning a shade of purple. She looked like a helpless small animal.

"FUCK WITH ME AGAIN AND I WILL MAKE SURE YOU WILL REGRET IT!" I loosened my grip on her throat. "DO NOT SAY A WORD TO ANYONE! BECAUSE IF YOU DO, YOU ARE DONE!" I warned darkly. I released the girl and unlocked the stall door. No one entered the bathroom when I was beating up Chloe, so I was lucky. I heard Chloe hacking her lungs out and sobbing uncontrollably as I exited the bathroom. I felt great glee for what I did to that brat. She is lucky compared to my other victims! She deserved it!

I did not hear from Chloe after that event. My school day went on like normal and I returned home with Gabby and Annie. Ryan had to go and pick up Kelly for her wisdom teeth surgery and Blake was at a friend's house and Jackie was at a friend's house and Sarah was staying after school for tutoring. One thing about the Sullivans family was that they are generally active people. The family almost always has something to do and are barely at home. I walked into the kitchen to discover Gabby on her cell phone. Ryan and Sarah returned Gabby's phone after she showed them her progress report that was full of As and Bs.

"SHE WHAT? NO WAY!" Gabby was talking loudly on the phone. She was in the process of making herself a sandwich. "SO WHAT HAPPENED?" She gasped in shock. "SHE STRANGLED HER!" My heart jumped. THAT BITCH DID TELL SOMEONE! I thought angrily.

Gabby noticed me and glared at me. "Hold on, I'll call you back." She said quickly. Then she hung up her phone. Gabby's eyes were livid with emotions. "YOU STRANGLED CHLOE!" She shrieked. "YOU FUCKING PSYCHO!"

I pretended to be innocent. "No, I don't know even know a Chloe." I lied. I backed away from her.

"KIRSTEN CALLED ME AND TOLD ME YOU BEAT HER SISTER UP!" Gabby fumed. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?"

I hardened my eyes. "I did not strangle her."

Gabby did not believe my bullshit, she rolled her eyes impudently. "Oh, like how you didn't push me? You need to go back to the place you came from." She hissed.

I rolled my eyes. I dropped my innocent act. I knew at this point, Gabby knew I was lying. "Gabriella, believe me or don't believe me. But I am here to stay. Nothing you say or do will change that." I said solemnly.

Gabby frowned. "SHUT UP!" She screamed. "WHEN MOM AND DAD HEARS ABOUT THIS, YOU'RE GONE!" She threatened.

I smiled wickedly at the angry teenager and walked away smugly. "If that will help you sleep at night." I said loudly. I allowed the girl's words to roll down my back. I had full confidence in myself that I would avoid suspicion. Sarah and Ryan wholeheartedly believed I am a true angel. Why would they believe Gabby? A rebellious brat that shoplifts and sneaks out at night? I had the parents wrapped around my finger. They would never believe that sweet, innocent little Mercy would intentionally hurt a soul. I caught a glimpse of the outside, it was pouring heavy rain. I remembered Rachel and my deed.

….

When Sarah and Ryan returned home with all of the girls, Gabby ran to her parents immediately. "MOM! DAD!" She shouted. Then there was a hard knock on the door. Ryan opened it and a police officer entered the house. My heart thundered in my chest, I felt my palm becoming sweaty. My anxiety erupted inside of me. I was terrified of the authorities. Seeing a cop always made me feel frightened. The authorities are the only ones that can take me down with no trouble.

"Sir, I would like to ask you and your family some questions." He said urgently. The entire family was sitting in the living room, the cop stood in the center. Everyone was silent, no one even looked at each other.

"Mrs. Sullivan, a woman named Rachel Baker was discovered dead in the forest near your house." The officer informed her.

Sarah put a emotional hand over her mouth. Her eyes were glassy and full of pain. "Rachel…" She murmured.

"Rachel was….." Ryan's voice trailed off.

"Murdered." The officer finished for him.

Jackie trembled in fright, Kelly appeared alarmed, Blake and Annie were confused. I made sure I appeared terrified and pitiful.

"Sir, witnesses said that she was living with you." The Officer said in matter of a fact tone.

Sarah shook her head. "No, sir, she was visiting us."

"Did anything strange happen when she was here? Who was with her before she disappeared?"

Jackie glanced at me. "Mercy." She said sheepishly. "My little sister was talking to her before she left."

I looked at the girl with wide eyes. SHUT THE FUCK UP, YOU DUMB BITCH! I wanted Jackie to disappear at this moment. I regained my composure quickly and turned my head towards the Officer.

"Did anything weird happen?" The Officer spoke to me in a soft, kind voice.

I lied. "No."

"Well what happened exactly?" He urged.

"I don't know." I pretended to be nervous. "I…...I…..was going to the kitchen when Rachel just got up and left the house. She said she was going outside for a smoke and she never came back."

The Officer wrote down everything I said on a little notepad. He smiled at me kindly and turned to Jackie. "Do you have any details?"

Jackie was quiet for a moment. "Well, Rachel left twice." She glanced at her Father nervously. "My Dad and her were arguing and she left."

The Officer gave Ryan a suspicious look. "What were they fighting about?"

I glared at Jackie. Dumb bitch is going to make her own Father a suspect!

Impulsive, I shouted out. "NOTHING! DADDY DID NOT DO ANYTHING!" All eyes were on me.

"No one is saying that Daddy said anything." Sarah looked at me like I lost my mind.

I became silent, the Officer stared at me. "No one is in trouble." He reassured me. I simply nodded.

"Continue." The Officer urged.

Jackie nodded. "Well I saw Rachel kiss my Father and my Father pushed her away and told her to leave. She did and at least couple minutes later, she came back. I…" She appeared thoughtful. "I actually remembered hearing the backdoor opening a few times."

My heart thundered in my chest, my confidence began to shrink.

"Did you see anything weird at all? Who else was in the house with you?"

"Dad, me, and Mercy." Jackie answered precisely.

The Officer glanced at Ryan. "Where were you?"

"I was in the basement, doing laundry." Ryan replied, I could see he was struggling not to panic.

The Officer looked at me. "You?"

"I was getting a snack." I lied.

"Hmm." The Officer huffed to himself as he quickly wrote everything done.

"So Rachel simply left the house after a fight with your Father?" The Officer probed.

"Yes." Jackie said lightly.

The Officer cleared his throat. "Well that's enough information I can gather. Thank you for your time, Mrs and Mr. Sullivan. If you have any more information, call us." He said. Then Ryan led him to the front door.

Once the Officer left, Sarah broke down into tears. "OH MY GOD! RACHEL!" She sniveled. Ryan, being a kindred spirit, embraced his emotional wife and comforted her. "It's okay." Ryan whispered. I watched in frustration as the two pulled away, only to engage in a prolonging kiss.

"Ryan, I am so sorry, that I went off on you!" Sarah apologized emotionally.

NO! NO! NO! I screamed in my head.

Ryan smiled at his wife. "It's fine." He said softly. "Let's just relax." He suggested.

I felt like a failure. I thought removing Rachel would help drift this couple apart! But everything backfired! I could sense the rekindling romance between Sarah and Ryan.

"Daddy, can I sleep with you?" I blurted out. I wanted to close to my Ryan. Just to remind myself that I will never lose him.

Ryan smiled sweetly. "Of course, honey." He agreed.

Sarah gave me a cross eyed look. "Um...no. Mercy, you're a big girl. You can sleep in your own bed." She objected.

Ryan looked at Sarah and appeared thoughtful. "Well, Mommy is kinda right. You can't sleep with Daddy all the time."

I made myself look pitiful. "But I like sleeping with you, Daddy." I cooed innocently. "It makes me feel safe." I loved Ryan's responding smile to that comment.

Sarah is not moved. She gazed at me strangely. "Mercy, no." She declared. "You are going to sleep in your bed." I struggled not to glare at her. _This bitch is lucky she is carrying my future daughter inside of her._ I thought menacingly.

"Yes, Mommy." I said politely.

Gabby was quiet for a moment, she was still in disbelief about the Officer coming. Ryan turned to her. "What did you want to tell us?" Gabby's eyes were locked to mine.

"Mom, Dad," Gabby pointed a stiff finger at me. "Kirsten called and told me Mercy strangled her sister in the bathroom." She proclaimed.

I was stiff as wood, the event with the Officer shook my confidence. Sarah and Ryan looked at me with alarmed eyes. Sarah stared at me in silence. Ryan was the only person who came to my defense. "Gabby, Mercy wouldn't do something like that." Ryan said.

Gabby shook her head. "No, that's exactly what she said she did. They got into a fight. Mercy beat her up, dragged her into a stall, slammed a book over her head, and strangled her!" Gabby exclaimed.

Sarah's eyes widened with concern. Her eyes flicked to me. "Mercy, is this true?"

"No." I said swiftly.

Gabby rolled her eyes. "She's lying. Chloe had marks and bruises on her. She got a concession!" Gabby exclaimed.

All eyes were glued to me.

I continued to lie. "I did not beat her up!" I declared. "I swear."

Ryan believed me wholeheartedly. "Maybe another kid beat her up and Chloe blamed it on Mercy." He suggested. Sarah looked at Ryan like he was stupid.

"Ryan, listen to the story. This is a serious allegation!" Sarah expressed.

Ryan shook his head in denial. "Sarah, this is Mercy. She wouldn't do something like that," He gave his daughter a crossed look. "Gabby, please, talk to Kirsten and make sure it was Mercy."

Gabby rolled her eyes and huffed annoyed. "Just send Mercy back!" She demanded.

Sarah gasped. "Gabriella, do not say things like that! Like it or not, Mercy is your sister! Look, we will look into this. But let's just go to bed. Everyone," Sarah narrowed her eyes at me. "Mercy, you will sleep in your own bed."

With a blank expression, I hurried upstairs to go to sleep. I was fuming with anger. I slept like a log, dreaming of Ryan and me.

 _ **I am currently working on my other stories. My most popular story, The Infection will take time. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please give reviews and thoughts.**_


	10. Cracks in the Facade

I smirked evilly at the news of Rachel's murder on a Saturday morning. Reportedly, I stabbed her approximately forty nine times. She was rotting and turning into bones by the time they discovered her. I was elated about what I did to her, she deserved her fate. But at the same time, Rachel's death did backfire in my face. My whole point of murdering Rachel was to rip Sarah and Ryan apart. I wanted to make sure I had no other opponent for Ryan's love. I'm willing to murder Sarah, but I'm only waiting because she's pregnant. But ironically Rachel's death brought them closer. They rekindled their romantic relationship quickly after her death.

I felt defeated by this. Then the Chloe situation jammed itself into the equation. I did not feel remorse for what I did to Chloe. In my mind, she deserved it, just like Rachel! You fuck with me, I will make you regret it, simple as that! But now Sarah has been looking at me sideways, slowly beginning to have doubts about my innocent facade. Gabby is still an pain in my ass. Unlike everyone else, Gabby is the only one in the house that experienced my true nature. She knows something is wrong with me. The teenager has great animosity towards me and she wanted me to go. I wanted to make the teenager suffer. I wanted to spite her, torture her, torment, anything! I couldn't kill her, even though I desired to slit Gabby's throat, I couldn't spill her blood without gaining suspicion. So I plotted on how I could hurt her in a non lethal way. Thankfully for me, Gabby was not home, she was at Kirsten's house.I couldn't spent time with Blake today because she was sick as a dog. So in my freetime, I snuck into her bedroom and I searched her bedroom for something I could use against her. I did not worry about anyone seeing me, I made extra precautions to close and lock the door behind me. Gabby's room was wide and untidy, she had a bright red bed with a few dressers scattered around. I opened her closet and was shocked to see how much clothes and shoes she had.

I scavenged her room, hoping to find something I could exploit. Possibly her bong I recalled seeing. Or some weed she has hidden somewhere. But I found nothing like that. I began to open the draws of her dressers and then I found something that made me smile in excitement. It wasn't what I was originally looking for, but better. A diary. It was a light brown leather bound book.

I did not worry about anyone seeing me, I made extra precautions to close and lock the door behind me. I opened the diary and on the first page I saw who owned it. It was handwritten with blue ink: **Gabriella Sullivan Diary**. Immediately I was eagerly read her entries. Her most recent entry was from two weeks ago. At first, Gabby's three entries were typical teenager stuff. Boys…..parties….school...gossip...rumors….her parents….her desire to have her own car. Nothing interesting. But then I reached the most interesting parts of her diary. Engrossed, I read her entries about her sneaking out of the house to go to parties that was full of teens, adults, and drugs, she detailed her sex intercourses with males she had at those parties, she wrote about how much she loved weed, she wrote about her parents and how stupid she thinks they are, underage drinking, and etc. Then my eyes laid on something I could use. It was very recent, almost a one week ago.

She wrote about having sex and dating Jackie's boyfriend named Liam.

 _Last night was amazing. Me and Liam went to Maya's house to party out. Thankfully my parents are too busy with that brat, Mercy, so they will never find out about this. Liam is such a sweetheart. Me and him actually had sex for the first time. He's not the best at it, but I'm sure with some practice, he'll get there. I think I'm going to make Liam my official boyfriend now. Hopefully Liam will dump Jackie for me. But I'm fine with how things are now._

"This girl is a mess." I commented. Then I read a recent entry about me. It was during the time I first arrived.

 _My parents are crazy. Mom and Dad got this weird kid named Mercedes or Mercy for short. She looks like a freak with her dresses and ribbons. She looks like she's getting ready for Halloween earlier. Why couldn't Mom and Dad adopt a NORMAL kid? Why did they adopt anyway? Don't they have enough kids? My new sister is coming soon and they adopt a another kid?! She is just a fucking brat. She ratted me out when I snuck out. My Mom went off on me for that, she didn't even try to let me tell my side. I tried to be nice to the brat, but she is just annoying! I can't believe I have to live with a little kid that dresses up like a Southbelle all the time._

I rolled my eyes offended. I closed the diary when it became less interesting. I plotted on how to exploit what I learned. I could use Gabby's affair against her. But how? At the moment, I had no clue. I put the diary back and exited Gabby's bedroom.

I headed to my bedroom so I could think when Sarah called out to me. "Mercy," I turned my head to see Sarah hobbling over to me from her bedroom. "Mercy, I want to talk to you." She told me. Sarah then beckoned me to her bedroom. I wanted to protest, but I silently obeyed. Once I'm in the master bedroom, Sarah closed the door. I saw no sign of Ryan, I was completely alone with Sarah. I gazed at her swollen belly. I felt happiness and excitement at the thought of my future daughter's birth. I wanted to raise her with all of the love and compassion in the world. I wanted to give her the life I will never have.

"Mercy, did you hurt Chloe?" Sarah asked me urgently.

I shook my head. "No, Mommy." I denied.

Sarah doesn't look convinced. "Mercy, Kirsten told me you did. Her sister said you did. They are both saying the same thing, young lady." She pointed out.

"I did not hurt Chloe." I insisted.

Sarah studied me. "Mercedes, do not lie to me. You have two people who are claiming that you did something. What Chloe and Kirsten are claiming is very serious."

I took a step closer to Sarah. I made sure I looked innocent and sympathetic. Sarah's face was hardened and skeptical. "Mommy, I did not hurt anyone. I did not hurt Chloe. I swear." I said vehemently.

Sarah appeared uneasy. "Mercy, you have had a few outbursts lately. Gabby told me you pushed her at the Park. You had that random outburst in front of the Officer and now there's this allegation that you strangled someone!"

I continued to deny everything. "Mommy, I promised you, none of that happened. I didn't pushed Gabby on purpose. I had that outburst with the Officer because I was nervous, and I never strangled Chloe." I declared.

Sarah just looked at me for a long time. I couldn't read her expression.

"Mercy, I am taking you to a therapist." Sarah proclaimed.

My eyes widened with panic. "NO!" I blurted out. I glared at Sarah defiantly. Considering how tortured I was in the institution, I wanted to stay from away from psychologists and therapists.

Sarah flinched at the sudden loudness of my voice. She looked at me like I was crazy. "Young lady, do not say that to me. I am your Mother!" Sarah rebuked.

At this point, I didn't care about appearing innocent anymore. I was on the verge of losing my temper. I wanted to lash out at her violently. I did not detest Sarah until now.

"You are not my Mother." I hissed. I glared at her coldly, Sarah appeared flabbergasted by my change in behavior. Sarah now saw the true nature of "Mercy".

Sarah crossed her arms, vexed. "Mercy, do not say things like that. I am your Mother like it or not. You need to show me respect." She insisted. "Do not argue with me."

I glared at Sarah, she was really pushing my buttons now. I wanted to say the most harshest things I could muster, but I held my tongue.

Sarah continued. "I am going to talk to the school about this. And let them investigate it." She warned. "And if I found out you are lying to me, you will regret it." Then she added. "If I find out ALL of the incidents I talked about are true. I won't be your Mother anymore, why? Because you won't be here in this house."

I gave Sarah a cold stare. At this point, I hated this bitch to the core. I could see the realization in Sarah's eyes. She knows something is wrong with me. But she can't pinpoint to it. She no longer sees me as a adorable, sweet little girl. She could see through the cracks of my facade. There is no way in hell she is going to ruin my chances of getting Ryan!

I became bold, I looked Sarah directly in the eyes. "I just told you are not my Mother. You will never be my Mother. You keep talking about respect, but yet you have a daughter that sneaks out, smokes weed, and disrespects you and your husband. It's very difficult to have respect for someone who can't even get it from their own biological child."

Sarah's mouth dropped open. She was speechless at my boldness. I snickered at her amused. I was loving this moment. "What, Mommy?" I said with thick sarcasm. Sarah was silent

Then I pretended Sarah did not exist and walked away from her. I opened the door and left the room without looking back.

…..

"I think there is something wrong with Mercy!" I pressed my ear onto the Master bedroom door, eavesdropping. It was late at night and Sarah was ranting on to Ryan in the bedroom about me.

"She just blew me off!" Sarah vented. "She disrespected me! She told me I wasn't worth of respect! She told me I was not her Mother!"

Ryan was calm compared to his emotional wife. "Sarah, calm down. Mercy probably didn't mean it."

Sarah's voice became high pitched. "Didn't mean it?!" I heard her stomping around. "Ryan, you were not there. She was a totally different person!"

Ryan exhaled heavily. "Sarah, kids have moments like that."

"No!" Sarah objected. "Not like that. She was so sophisticated when she said it. She wasn't mad or anything. She was so calm!"

"Sarah, remember Annie? She was very difficult when we first got her. Remember the screaming fits in the stores? Remember her bedwetting? Or her night terrors?" Ryan pointed out.

Sarah's tone became patronizing. "Ryan, Annie was five years old when she came to us. Mercy is eight! Think about how she's influencing Blake."

"Sarah, Blake and Mercy have been close since the moment Mercy stepped into our house. They love each other. Mercy is fine."

Sarah was stubborn. "No, you should have seen how she spoke to me, how she looked at me! I'm going to take her to a therapist soon." She insisted.

Shock emerged from Ryan's voice. "A therapist? You are going to take Mercy to a therapist because of a few small incidents?"

"Small? She pushed Gabby off a playhouse! She strangled a student! She acted weird during the questioning with the cop! She is not…...okay! Stop acting like she's completely innocent!" Sarah argued.

"Mercy already told me that she pushed Gabby by accident. There is no proof that Mercy strangled anyone and she was possibly nervous when the cop was there." Ryan reasoned.

I loved how fiercely Ryan was defending me. It honestly warmed my heart to know that I had someone who cared about me.

"So you just believe everything Mercy tells you?" Sarah raved.

"No. But Mercy generally tells me the truth." Ryan sighed, I could hear the exhaustion in his voice.

"Well I'm going to the school to get this looked at. I want to make sure that Mercy is innocent."

"Sarah, don't. Look, this is Mercy. A eight year old girl. She was abused by her sick Mother and her pervert boyfriend! Maybe Mercy has issues with Mothers, maybe she still thinks of her own Mother and don't want to replace her. Of course, she is going to have emotional problems. She came here at a very young age from another country! What she needs is love and affection. When she's with me, she's sweet as sugar!"

Sarah was vehement. "Well then I'm taking her to a therapist." She declared. "I want her to get so mental and emotional help. If she is going to live here, she needs to act right."

"So if she doesn't meet your standards, you're going to send her away." Ryan said baffled.

"Yes." Sarah said curt. "Mercy has had all kinds of incidents lately, what if our other children get hurt? She is already bad mouthing Gabby!"

"Gabby has treated Mercy like crap since she got here."

Sarah sighed in defeat. "You are hopeless. You will never understand, you never see it. Mercy is an angel when she is around you. But she was totally different to me today."

"Sarah, enough. I am done talking about this."

Sarah protested, but Ryan simply ignored her. And that was it. I loved Ryan more and more because of his defense of me. I could tell that Ryan is going to do everything in his power to defend and protect me. One day, when my child is born, Sarah will be on my chopping list. But now I must focus on Gabby.

 _Next chapter will come eventually. I already had this chapter typed up. I am currently working on my other stories and they will take time. I've been writing many Mercy's chapters since I lost my writer block on it. So you will see alot of Mercy chapters popping up, but that doesn't mean I'm not working on my other stories. Please give me your thoughts and reviews. Tell me how you think of Alanna, (Mercy) and the other characters._


	11. Fists and Scissors

"Here, take your medicine, Blake." I whispered softly. I stood next to Blake's bed, Blake was laying in bed with a high fever. On the other side of the bed was a purple bucket for her vomit. Blake was home sick with the stomach flu she contacted from school. In my hand was a spoon filled with Pepto Bismol, I inched the spoon to Blake's mouth. Blake opened her mouth and I placed the spoon into her mouth.

I smiled at Blake warmly. "You will get better." I told her sweetly. Blake cracked out a grateful smile. "Thanks." She croaked. I smiled back to her, I then walked away from Blake and grabbed a chair from her little desk. I pulled the chair towards her bed so I could care for her. Blake went to sleep peacefully as I sat over her.

As Blake slept, I decided to do her homework for her. I placed the chair back to the desk and sat down. I chuckled at how easy the work was.

"MERCY!" Sarah's voice made me jump. I looked up to see a angry Sarah in the doorway. "What are you doing in Blake's room?" She demanded. I glared at this piece of shit with coldness, but I kept my voice at a polite level.

"Mommy, I was just checking up on her." I explained.

Sarah took a step into the room, she turned her head towards Blake. Her eyes were scrutinizing Blake, trying to see if I hurt her in anyway.

When she found nothing, Sarah turned back to me. Her voice was suspicious and cautious. "Mercy, I do not want you in here. Only me and Daddy can come in here." Sarah said sternly. "Daddy is going to take you to school soon, get ready. Now."

I wanted to shoot this woman the middle finger. I controlled myself and I acted silently obedient. The moment I exited the room, Sarah inched into the hallway and closed the bedroom door behind her. I ignored this and continued walking to my bedroom.

"Mercy, I do not want you around Blake anymore." I stopped in my tracks. I whirled around with a shock expression on my face.

"But why?" I questioned.

Sarah looked offended that I would dare question her. "Because I said so. Stay away from Blake." Then she walked away from me quickly.

"Stupid bitch!" I fumed under my breath. I felt my anger boiling within me. How dare this bitch?! All I did was care for a sick child! I continued to walk to my room as my anger simmered within me.

I hurried into the bedroom. Jackie was downstairs, eating a snack, so I had privacy. I punched the bottom bunk pillow out of frustration.

"DAMMIT!" I ranted. I hated that bitch! I couldn't wait until the day the little girl is born and I erased her existence from this world.

I decided that I needed to focus on other things, because my thoughts of Sarah was overwhelming. I thought about Gabby and her diary. I walked out of the bedroom and snuck over to Gabby's room. Gabby is home, but she's in the bathroom currently taking a shower. I discovered Gabby's unattended cell phone on her nightstand. I pulled the charger out of the phone and listened attentively for Gabby in case she returned. Her phone wasn't locked because of the thirty minutes lock time on it. So it was easy to invade her phone.

I immediately went to her photo gallery, hoping I could a pull another "Rachel" somehow. There was dozens of pictures of this girl's phone. The majority of her Gallery was selfies of herself, posing and smiling at the camera. She would wear nice looking clothing with her hair designed a stylish way and smiling at the camera in the bathroom mirror. There were also pictures of her at wild parties, I saw one picture of her posing promiscuously with some older looking male. I do not know who Liam is exactly. I never seen him before. I saw plenty of boys and men posing with Gabby in her many pictures, but I had no clue how to spot out Liam.

With a frustrated sigh, I looked at her messages. Mostly her messages were mundane and were directed towards friends.

Finally I saw it. A message to a girl named Taylor from three weeks ago.

Taylor: So was that REALLY Liam who kissed you?

Gabby sent Taylor a message and a picture of her kissing a cute looking blonde boy at a late night party who I would later find out was Liam.

First off i kissed him. And I did more than kissing!

Taylor: Damn, that's messed up. Is Liam and Jackie still dating?

Yeah, but me and liam are just playing around, Jackie will never know.

"MERCY! GABBY! COME ON! IT'S TIME TO GO!" Ryan called out from downstairs. I nearly dropped the phone. Quickly, I went to Jackie's contact and pasted the picture and sent her it to her as message. I heard the shower turn off and I immediately exit everything and hastily put the cell phone back onto the nightstand and plugged it in. I rushed out of Gabby's room, luckily, Gabby was still in the bathroom and I made it downstairs. Jackie and Annie stood by their Father as they waited for Gabby to come. I stared at Jackie, she had a silver purse where she had her phone stuffed in. I wanted Jackie to look at her phone so badly.

I waited with great anticipation as I sat in my classroom. I only thought about Jackie seeing her messanges. When it was Lunchtime, I saw Jackie talking to her friends way in the very back. Gabby was at her usual table, gossiping and chattering among her friends in a carefree manner. As usual I sat at Gabby's table and ate my food silently.

Then it happened. "GABBY!" The entire Lunchroom grew quiet at the shrill screeching of Jackie. Jackie stormed over to Gabby's table. Man, if looks could kill! Jackie's face was beet red, her eyes were filled with fury, her fists were clenching and unclenching, Jackie looked like a bull ready to charge at anyone who crossed her path.

I looked at Gabby, she was frozen in place, completely flabbergasted by her sister's behavior.

When Jackie made her to Gabby, her glaring eyes locked onto her sister. "YOU BITCH! YOU KISSED LIAM!" She hissed.

Gabby's eyes widened. "WHAT?" She gasped baffled. The majority of the Lunchroom watched on curiously and others were snickering and whispering. There was no teachers in here to stop this and the Lunch ladies were no help either.

Gabby must have heard the snickering and felt her ego being cracked. She boosted herself up with boldness and rolled her eyes impudently.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP AND GET OUT OF HERE!" She yelled.

Jackie was not having it. "YOU HAD SEX WITH LIAM! YOU FUCKING WHORE! OUT OF ALL OF THE GUYS YOU FUCKED, YOU FUCK WITH MY BOYFRIEND?!" Jackie seethed. All of the students were looking at Gabby now, whispering among each other.

Even Gabby's friends were looking at her sideways. Panic grew on Gabby's face, she looked like she wanted to disappear. But Gabby was not a person who allowed herself to appear weak. She was one of those individual that cares deeply about her image in the public eye and will do anything that keep herself looking superior.

A cocky grin grew on Gabby's face. "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm guessing you forgot that Liam broke up with you last week. So technically speaking, he's not your boyfriend. It's not my fault he liked pretty girls more than one night girls like you." Gabby sneered. Her tone was mocking and spiteful.

Then Jackie swung a swift right punch and nailed a unexpecting Gabby in the nose. Instantly the room erupted with cheering and cries. Students swarmed around Gabby's table, eagerly watching the two go at it. Jackie, I will admit, knows how to fight. Gabby stood no chance. Within seconds of the fight, Jackie proved herself to be a formidable fighter. She was punching and kicking Gabby brutally, Gabby attempted to fight, but visibly had no clue how to. She was flailing her arms and hands around, trying to at least smacking her.

"STUPID BITCH!" Jackie snarled, landing a solid punch to her nail again. Gabby staggered back in pain, her nose was bruised and blood flowed out of her nostrils. I looked on with excitement in my heart. I wanted to join the other children and cheer along with them.

Jackie grabbed a handful of Gabby's chocolate hair and yanked her forward hard. Gabby struggled vigorously. Even though she couldn't fight, she could talk shit.

"YOU ARE A BITCH! LET GO OF MY HAIR, BITCH! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU!" Gabby hollered.

Students were having a blast watching this.

"LET ME GO! GET OFF OF ME!" Gabby grasped a nearby tray of food, she managed to give a hard kick to Jackie's abdomen, releasing herself from Jackie's grip.

"FUCK YOU!" With that Gabby smacked the tray across Jackie's face, knocking her to the floor. Food from the tray splattered on the floor and a nearby table. Jackie screamed out of agony.

"CHILDREN!" The entire room was silent. The Principal jammed himself into the center. He was a balding man in his late forties. A teacher entered the center and helped a sobbing Jackie to her feet.

"OFFICE NOW!" The Principal bellowed.

I watched in glee as Gabby protested with the Principal. "IT'S HER FAULT! SHE CAME UP TO ME!" She defended herself. "I'M NOT GOING TO THE OFFICE FOR DEFENDING MYSELF!"

Jackie only cried her heart out. I chuckled under my breath at all of this drama. I did not hate Jackie, she's possibly one of the few people in the household I'm neutral towards. But she is still nothing but a pawn to me.

I watched with a small smile on my face as the two emotional girls are escorted out of the Lunchroom.

….

After that fight, Jackie was suspended and Gabby was given at least two detentions. Thankfully due to the fight, Sarah is finally off of my ass and is now occupied with her "unruly" daughters. Gabby was grounded again, letting her with no phone, laptop, and ipod. Jackie's situation was worse. Little did I know, her play was this week and now I learned that she was replaced by her understudy due to her suspension.

I'm still prohibited from seeing Blake. Sarah makes sure I'm nowhere near Blake no matter what. Ryan tries to help, but it's obvious that Sarah is the dominant one in the house. Even though being away from Blake breaks my heart, I am able to keep my hopes up. When I end Sarah, Blake, the baby, and Ryan will all be mine.

The very next day, I was still beaming from the success of the mess I caused. I sat in my classroom, gleefully at the maydem I caused Gabby to experience. I listened attentively to the teacher and completed my work before any of the other students.

At this point, most of the students has lost interest in my dresses and ribbons, but no one is ever kind to me. Either the students are indifferent towards me or just negative towards me. I have no friends or ally here. The only person that had bad blood with me was Chloe. Chloe was moved into my classroom weeks ago and all she does is glare at me. She would never directly interact with me, still harboring fear towards me.

I caught a glimpse of the girl staring at me in class. I simply glared right back at her.

"Children, we are going to do a little art project." Ms. Shoaf announced. "It's a teamwork project, so first pick a partner or two, get some scissors, and a one piece of paper." Immediately everyone mingled with each other and split into either groups of one or two. No one picked me for a partner.

"Mercy, do you want a partner?" Ms. Shoaf asked kindly.

I shook my head. "No. I like to work alone." I expressed.

Ms. Shoaf appeared thoughtful. "Alright." She said. Then she raised her voice. "Children, I am going to hand out newspapers and magazines. You will cut out a picture or two and make your own collage." With that Ms. Shoaf went over to her desk and handed out scissors, glue, newspaper and magazines to the students. I was the very last to get one.

I worked by myself quietly.

"Hi, Mercy." I turned my head to a young boy named Toby, he was a skinny boy with straw colored hair and big brown eyes. He was one of the many children that taunted me on my first day. I turned around and pretended he didn't exist.

But Toby was not deterred. "So Mercy, can you please tell me why you dress up like an old lady?" Toby walked over to my desk and got in front of it. I was waiting for the teacher to intervene, but she was occupied with other students. Toby gave me a malicious smirk. "Come on! What's Mercy short for?" Toby urged, chuckling under his breath.

"Mercedes." I muttered.

Toby laughed. "A car. Your dumb parents named you after a car!" I glared at him coldly. "Fuck off." I growled.

Toby just became more and more amused. He seemed to relish in taunting me. "So you're a orphan, right?" He gave me a mocking look. "Ever thought about asking for a name change from Mommy and Daddy?" He arched an eyebrow. "You know, when they magically come back to life." With that Toby bursted out into laughter.

Rage fueled me. I clenched my fists furious. I struggled to compose myself. I was actually hurt by that remark. This bastard is gonna end up murdered! I thought in my head. Don't think I'm not capable. Personally I am restraining myself from that, struggling to keep my rage from sending me to a mental hospital again or worst.

I kept my voice calm. "Please, leave me alone." I whispered. Toby rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Orphan." He mocked.

That's it! I needed to do something to this little bastard!

"Give me this!" With that Toby snatched my scissors from my hand. It was so quick that I didn't even have time to say a word. He held the scissor with the sharp end facing him. I got an idea. Toby was running my way and at the right moment, I stuck out my foot.

"AHHHHHHHH!" Toby tripped over my foot and released a blood curdling scream. I instantly reeled in my foot before anyone saw me. The entire room became silent. The scissor pierced into the side of his cheek, inches away from his right eye. Blood poured down his cheek, Toby wailed and sobbed like a baby. He squirmed and wiggled on the floor, screaming in agony.

"OH MY GOD!" Ms. Shoaf ran to Toby's aid. She was struggling to stay calm. She helped the hysterical boy to his feet and sent a student to go fetch the nurse. I struggled not to smile at all of the maydem I caused. The boy's cries of misery was music to my ears.

The nurse arrived and took the injured boy to her office. No one bothered me after that. No one snickered or mocked me. I think the children may have sensed something about me, even though I'm sure no one saw me doing anything.

…

When I came home, I relaxed and did my homework in my bedroom. Everything was tranquil, Jackie kept to herself, listening to music on her IPod with her ear buds. Ryan was downstairs cooking dinner and Kelly was down there helping him. Sometimes I forget that Kelly even exist in this house. We rarely interact and she's often either driving around in her car or locked away in her bedroom, reading books.

Then Sarah arrived home. "MERCY!" I heard her holler. She hollered so loud that Jackie ripped out her ear buds.

I grew rigid with shock. Why the hell does this bitch want with me now? I thought of Toby. Did he rat me out?

I heard Sarah's heavy stomping coming the stairs.

"Sarah, what's wrong?" Ryan cried out in the background. Sarah ignored him and hurried up into the hallway. "MERCY, WHERE ARE YOU?" She barked angrily.

I glanced at Jackie. She was flabbergasted. Sarah jerked the bedroom door open and glared at me. "CHLOE'S MOTHER CALLED ME AT WORK AND TOLD ME YOU TRIPPED A BOY IN CLASS!"

Jackie looked at me concerned.

I remained calm. "No, Mommy. It was an accident. I didn't mean it on purpose."

Sarah eyed me suspiciously. "Mercy, if you are lying to me…" She started. I continued to vehemently deny everything. "I am not."

Sarah doesn't appear convinced. But she left the room silently.

…

"Ryan, listen, I think I found what's wrong with Mercy. She could be suffering from antisocial disorder." I eavesdropped on the couple late at night.

Ryan sounded like he was just annoyed. "Sarah, please, stop. Mercy is fine. She just needs love and affection, kay. Not you banning her from her sister and you treating her like she's a criminal. Just stop, bond with her, not betray her."

A hint of offense grew in Sarah. "Betray? Ryan, I clothed, bathed, feed, and cared for that girl from the day she came in. I just want make sure that Mercy is perfectly safe around our children." Sarah insisted.

Ryan cleared his throat. "Sarah, you are eight months pregnant. Stop stressing yourself out and just relax."

That just pissed off Sarah more. "Relax?! Ryan, I am talking about the safety of our children here! And you want to tell me to relax! No! If Mercy is gonna stay here, she needs to meet my standards." I rolled my eyes impudently.

Sarah paced around. I heard the crumbling of paper. "Look, children with antisocial personality disorder lies and exploits people. Mercy does that, she has lied before. She has no friends at school, children with APD have a difficult time making them. And the biggest one; superficial charm. Mercy can act like that at times." Ironically Sarah was right. I do suffer from antisocial personality disorder along with others. But Mercy didn't. Sweet little Mercy was simply a child that is accident prone.

Ryan just sighed deeply. "Jesus." He mumbled. "Sarah, just stop. When did you print all of this out?"

"Today!" Sarah fumed. "I am taking her to the therapist next month. I already booked an appointment."

Ryan just sighed in exhaustion. "Fine." He said defeated. I was just purely irritated by Sarah at this point. But I had to be patient and collected. My daughter is one month away from entering this world.

I walked away from the Master bedroom door and came across Blake's room. The girl was still sick. I strolled over to her bedroom and opened her bedroom door.

The little angel was sleeping like a baby. I tenderly touched her warm forehead. "Get better, my daughter. Mommy will take great care of you." I whispered softly. I planted a sweet kiss onto Blake's forehead and exited the room.

 _Next chapter will be up soon. In the next chapter, Mercy is pushed to her limits by Chloe and will make a fateful decision._


	12. Hope

"Don't pour out too much frosting!" Ryan teased me playfully. I giggled. "I'm won't, Daddy!" There I was, I stood on a small stool leaning over the kitchen counter, gently squirting pink frosting onto the cupcakes me and Ryan baked together. I had a wide smile on my face. When I'm around Ryan, I feel euphoria. Ryan stood by the oven, waiting for the batch of cookies to be done.

Ever since Ryan and Sarah had that argument about me a few nights ago, Ryan has been spending more time with me. It was in early October. I constantly thought of my future daughter's birth. She is due this month and my heart is on cloud nine.

I enjoyed this moment between me and Ryan. Blake was still ill, Sarah was at a doctor appointment, the other girls were out of the house for various reasons. So it was just me and Ryan alone.

"I like spending time with you, Daddy." I chirped. Ryan beamed when I said this.

"I like spending time with you too, Mercy." Ryan smiled warmly. My heart swooned.

After I am done designing the cupcakes, I showed them to Ryan with a sweet smile on my face. "Like them, Daddy?" I asked.

Ryan nodded in approval. "I love it." I beamed, absorbing his compliment like a sponge. Then his phone rang. Ryan dug into her pant pocket and retrieved his phone. He put the phone to his ear. Ryan paced around as he spoke. Curious, I listened to Ryan's talking.

"Wait! You are! That's awesome! I...I'm coming!" Then he hung up. Ryan's face is lit with happiness and exburence. He approached me with a excited smile. "Mercy, Mommy is in labor!" He exclaimed.

I felt excitement flooding my soul. I am literally jumping up and down with happiness. I felt like a giddy little girl. "REALLY?! YAY! FINALLY!" I rejoiced.

"I'm going to call a babysitter to watch you and Blake," Ryan began to dial a number on his phone. I then frowned. "But Daddy, I want to see my little sister!" I whined.

Ryan frowned. "Sorry, honey, but little kids can't go where Mommy has your sister. It's not appropriate for kids. But don't worry, when Mommy has the baby, you'll be the first one to hold her." I hated how slow and methodical his speech was. It's always an nuisance to me when an adult talks to me like that. You would think me pretending to be a child would make me used to this, but it is always annoying to me.

I forced a smile. I wanted to see my daughter being born. I always wanted to see what exactly childbirth looks like, since I will never experience it myself.

It was several hours when Ryan's babysitter arrived. It was a dark haired woman in her early twenties that lived a couple of blocks away. I didn't know her name, because she didn't interact with me at all. Ryan left immediately once the woman arrived.

"HERE SHE IS!" It was October 9, when Hope Rachel Sullivan was born. She was born healthy, weighting eight pounds. Hope's birth was uncomplicated and quick. Kelly, Gabby, Annie, and I all swarmed Jackie in the living room. Jackie was displaying the picture Ryan sent on her cell phone. It was Sarah cradling my beautiful daughter in her arms. The baby girl was just a beauty to look at. As I gazed at the photo, I could see Hope's face. The girl had a full head of chocolate brown hair and her eyes were ocean blue. Sarah's eyes were transfixed on the newborn. Ryan was right next to Sarah, leaning over the bed, his eyes were glued to his newborn daughter.

"My daughter…" I murmured in Hungarian. I was amazed and elated. Nothing could describe my feelings at this moment.

24 hours later, Sarah and Ryan returned home with Hope in a pink baby carrier. It was early in the morning, when they arrived home. I immediately left the dining table to meet my daughter.

I had an smile that reached ear to ear.

When I approached them, Ryan smiled sweetly. "This is Hope, Mercy. Your new little sister." Ryan told me. Hope was soundly asleep.

Sarah eyed me for a moment. She looked like she was debating something. I ignored the woman and pretended she didn't exist.

Hope's face was all I could see. She was so beautiful. Everything about her captivate me. I felt so much compassion and love for this child the moment I laid eyes on her.

"Welcome to the world, Hope. My name is Mercy." I cooed.

Ryan simply beamed. He was charmed by this sweet moment.

Sarah is quick to end this lovely moment. "I'm going to put her in her crib." She announced. With that, she left and headed up stairs with the carrier.

Ryan inched towards me. "Wanna feed your little sister?" He cooed. I turned him full of happiness. I never thought I could love someone like this. I loved Ryan. He cares about me, treats me with kindness, he's someone that I need. Sarah doesn't deserve him either. That bitch doesn't do anything expect put him down.

"Yes, Daddy." I said, planting a small kiss on his cheek. Then I headed upstairs and walked to Hope's new room. I stood in the doorway, I observed the room. It's a wide room with cotton candy pink walls. There are piles of cute toys and dolls arranged around the room. Sarah placed Hope in her white crib.

Sarah must have sensed my presence and turned around. She frowned upon seeing me. I could see in her eyes that she doesn't trust me. She knows something is wrong with me. She is cautious and wary of me. "What are you doing in here?" She demanded sharply.

I gave Sarah an innocent smile. "Nothing, Mommy. I just want to see Hope." I replied.

Sarah narrowed her eyes. "You already seen her. Go to your room!"

I struggled not to frown. "Mommy, I just want to bond with my little sister." I said gently.

Sarah doesn't take the bait. "No. Until you go to a therapist, you will stay far away from Hope and Blake. I don't want you near either of them." She warned. Sarah glared at me. "Now, go to your room."

All the happiness and joy I felt began to vanish. Odium filled me. I glared at this bitch with coldness. Eventually I am going to seduce Ryan. I decided that I'm going to end Sarah very soon. I'm unsure if I should do it after or before I seduce Ryan. But Hope needs her Mother to care for her. I decided that I'm going to allow Sarah to live for at least a month or two, when Hope doesn't need her biological Mother anymore.

I gave Sarah a spiteful smile. This makes Sarah appear uneasy. "Get out!" She commanded. This time I listened and headed downstairs. Ryan was sitting on the couch, texting on his phone. I formed a plan in my mind. I began to make myself cry once I entered the living room.

My harsh sobs attracted Ryan almost immediately. "Daddy, Mommy won't let me see Hope! She's so mean to me!" I wept.

Ryan embraced me warmly. "Sweetie, Daddy will talk to Mommy." He reassured me. "Go eat breakfast." He added. I sniffled and pulled away. I wiped my tears away with one hand and headed to the dining table.

Hope was a very fussy baby on her first night. I laid in my bed wide awake, with the feverish wailing of my daughter piercing my ears. This was the third time she cried in this one night. Ryan and Sarah are exhausted. I decided that I should try to practice caring for my daughter. I headed downstairs and retrieved some baby bottles.

I fetched a small stool to retrieve the baby formula. I poured the baby formula into the bottle. I still heard Hope's crying and wondered why Ryan or Sarah hasn't gotten up. I shrugged it off and moved the stool to the sink.

I poured the right amount of water into the bottle and rushed to put it in the microwave. I made sure to heat it to the suitable temperature. When it's done, the microwave made a alarming beeping. I turned around to the staircase to see if anyone would get come out of their room. Nobody did.

I grabbed the warm bottle and hurried upstairs to Hope's room. Hope's wailing became more hysterical. I put the bottle of milk on the floor next to the rocking chair and approached the child's crib.

"Sh..sh...shh.." I soothed gently. I'm too short to just grab her out of the crib, so I grabbed a small table in her room and placed near the crib. I climbed it and leaned over the crib. I scooped the child in my arms, shushing and whispering gentle words to her. I rocked her back and forth. She is still weeping, but her crying began to slowly soften. I managed to walk back to the rock chair and sat with Hope cradled in my arms. I used one hand to pick up the bottle.

"Hungry?" I asked her. Hope's crying ceased. Her innocent blue eyes locked onto mine. I inched the bottle close to the baby's mouth. She immediately began to drink from it.

I cherished this moment. I felt like a Mother. I smiled sincerely. I wanted to give this child all of the love and nurture in the world. I loved this child more than myself. I loved this moment because I didn't feel like a monster. I forgot who I was. I wasn't Mercy, I wasn't Alanna. I was simply a woman caring for a beautiful baby girl.

But this moment is short lived when I noticed Sarah standing in the doorway. She swiftly turned on the lights. Her expression screamed a thousands words. She glared at me full of contempt and coldness.

Sarah doesn't yell, she spoke through her teeth. "Get out of Hope's room." She commanded. I noticed that the bottle is empty and I pulled it away from Hope's mouth. Hope doesn't seem bothered by this. I rocked in my arms. I shot a glare at Sarah.

"No." I objected. I refused to be treated like this. "I was caring for her. Awhile you sleep on your ass and let her cry! Some Mother you are!" I mocked.

Sarah's mouth dropped open. "Excuse me?" She demanded.

I scowled. "Sarah, you can't just keep me away from Blake and Hope like this! They're my sisters!" I argued. "I want to spend time with them!"

Sarah crossed her arms. "No! I know what you're doing. Something is wrong with you and I will not allow you to hurt my children. Ryan may not see it, but I do."

I allowed her insults to roll down my back. I'm not even trying to play innocent anymore. All I wanted to do was dehumanize her and mock her. "Ryan deserves better." I started.

Sarah's eyes flickered. "What?"

"Ryan is a sweetheart. He loves you so much, but yet you treat him like dirt. Look at your life, Sarah. Gabby smokes weed and has underaged sex. Your own friend attempted to fuck your own husband right under your nose. You have so many kids, but you barely pay attention to any of them." I sneered.

Sarah is just speechless at this point. I was in disbelief as well. I have completely broken character. No eight year old speaks like this. But I'm not concerned. I will kill this woman anyway and I will seduce her husband.

I felt powerful at this moment. I felt pride boiling in my chest.

I glanced down at Hope. She is fast asleep.

I got up with Hope still in my arms. "Hope will probably need a diaper change soon." I told Sarah as I headed the crib. I gently placed the angel into her crib. I even planted a sweet kiss on her forehead.

I walked towards the door, completely confident. I even flashed a disgusted Sarah a sweet smile as I passed by her.

"I love you, Mommy." I said aloud for Sarah to hear. Then I headed into my bedroom and went to sleep.

 _In the next chapter, Sarah takes Mercy to a therapist. Reviews and thoughts. Next chapter will be up soon. As you wait, read my other stories and give me your opinions and thoughts on them._


	13. The Last Night

"Hey, Hopey." I cooed at the infant. I sat in Hope's room on a humid Sunday, I cradled her in my arms as I sat in the rocking chair. Hope is content in my arms, she looks directly into my eyes. There are no words to how much I love and cherish this child. I feel so much love and compassion towards Hope.

"Mercy," Ryan entered the bedroom. "Mommy wants you downstairs. It's time for your appointment."

All my happiness instantly vanished. I frowned. I looked down at Hope. I actually forgot about this therapy session once I held Hope in my arms. Whenever I am around this child, I am lost in a state of bliss.

"Daddy, I.." I began. Ryan could tell that I do not want to go and attempts to be sympathetic.

"Mommy really wants you to go to therapy, sweetheart. You'll be fine."

I smiled meekly. "I hope you're right, Daddy." I chirped.

"Mercy!" A hyperactive Blake barged in the room. She finally regained her health and was ebullient as ever.

"Hey, you want to play dolls with me?" She suggested eagerly.

Ryan answered for me. "So honey, Mercy has to go somewhere with Mommy." I frowned with disappointment. I do desire to play with my little Blake.

"But I'll play with you." Ryan offered.

Blake frowned in dismay. "No." Blake said bluntly. "I really wanted to play with Mercy." Then she left.

I sat in the car silently as Sarah drove me to the therapist. She played loud music with no consideration of what I like. Sarah pretended that I didn't exist and didn't utter a word to me. There was a mutual bitterness between us.

Within an hour, we parked in the parking lot of a massive building. It was made from stone and was beautifully designed. There were many cars in the parking lot, I see children and adults entering the building.

"Get out of the car." Sarah commanded. She turned off the music and exited the car. She waited for her outside the car with a sour look. "Hurry up!" She barked.

Out of spite, I took my sweet time. I slowly took off my seatbelt and opened the door as slowly as I can. Sarah only became angrier.

She looked like she wanted to slap the shit out of me. I smiled at her sweetly to spite her. "Do I look pretty, Mommy?" I sat in the seat, halfway out of the car. I rubbed my purple frilly dress and smiled broadly at Sarah.

"Get out!" Sarah is not in the mood. I finally exited the car. Sarah bypassed me and slammed the car door roughly. She grabbed my wrist and dragged me to the building.

"Mercy, you are going to talk to Dr. Kenna. You better be honest and well behaved! Do not act up!" She warned.

I did not want to argue with this bitch.

"Yes, Mommy." I said politely.

We entered the building and I am impressed. The building is tastefully decorated and wide. It is warm and open. Sarah headed up to the lobby desk and ordered me to sit in the waiting room.

After Sarah is done, Sarah avoided sitting by me in the waiting room. I didn't care, I minded my business and distracted myself by looking at magazines.

My heart was racing. I never liked therapists due to my past. But I forced myself to play my facade to the T.

Then a woman entered the waiting room from the corridor. "Mercede Sullivan!" She called out. Sarah hurried to the woman and I made myself to them.

Within minutes, I am escorted through a long corridor, I saw dozens of doors with name labels on them. I saw Dr. Kenna's office at the end of the hall.

When we entered Dr. Kenna's office, my nostril is hit with the sweet aroma of vanilla. Her office was fairly big with a beautiful view from the window. She had a light brown couch and two chairs. Her walls were painted light green. "Hello, Mercy." Dr. Kenna gave me a cordial wave. Dr. Kenna looked quite youthful for a woman in her forties. She has straight dark hair with a slender body. She dressed professionally and wore light makeup.

I waved to Dr. Kenna with a smile. "Hello." I said sweetly. My stomach is exploding with anxiety. I sat down on the couch. Sarah headed for the door. I expected her to stay with me.

"You are going?" I asked if I was sad.

"Yes." Sarah hissed. Then she left.

I pretended to look downcasted. Dr. Kenna is silent, she had a notepad in her possession.

"So Mercy, tell me about yourself. Don't worry, whatever, you say to me will never leave this room." She reassured me.

I simply smiled. I didn't hate this woman. I am indifferent towards her. I just hated this situation. I felt so violated. I hated not having control over my life.

I played my Mercy character well. My voice is coated with innocence and meekness. "My name is Mercede Sullivan. But most people call me Mercy. Nice to meet you, Dr. Kenna."

"Pleasure to meet you too." Dr. Kenna said.

"So how is home life? I was informed you were adopted not long ago, how do you like America?"

I contemplated on telling all of the turmoil at home. But I decide to keep it tamed. "My home life is fine. My Daddy is very nice to me. I have two little sisters that I like to play with." I said. I asked her second question.

"I love it here in America. It is such a beautiful place." I chirped.

"Well good." Dr. Kenna looked at her notepad. "Your Mother informed me that you have been having trouble at home and at school. Mind talking about it?"

I kept smiling. "Of course." I said.

Dr. Kenna glanced at her notepad again. "Well one incident was about a girl that you allegedly strangled." There is a hint of concern in her voice.

I swiftly lied. "I did not. I swear. I tried to tell Mommy that, but she doesn't believe me."

"Well this is a serious allegation, Mercy." Dr. Kenna explained in a matter of a fact voice.

"I swear that I did not hurt anyone." I lied.

"What is your school life like?" Dr. Kenna inquired.

I decided to be honest, seeing no point in lying here. "I have no friends. Everyone makes fun of me or acts like I don't exist. Sometimes I get bullied."

"Have you told the teachers?" Dr. Kenna asked me. I shook my head.

"You should. Next time, tell a teacher and they will deal with your bullies." She advised.

"I will." I whispered. I felt a breeze of relief. This is a piece of cake! I was afraid that Dr. Kenna would detect my lies and see right through me, but thankfully she is oblivious.

"I know I asked this already, but go into details about your home life, please." Dr. Kenna ordered.

"My home life is great. It is nice having sisters and a Daddy." I beamed.

"And a Mommy?" Dr. Kenna raised an eyebrow.

I frowned. I can't muster up the willpower to say I like Sarah. I despised the woman's existence.

"Mommy doesn't really like me." I admitted.

"Why do you say that?" Dr. Kenna swiftly wrote on her notepad.

My heart is pounding in my chest. I have to be careful, if I described Sarah in a dreadful light, trouble will be in my future.

"Mommy is sometimes mean to me. She doesn't trust me around my little sisters. She thinks I'm weird and doesn't like to be around me."

Dr. Kenna finished writing every word I say. Dr. Kenna looked at me full of interest. "What do you mean by "mean?"

"Verbal. She never hit me. She's just mean sometimes." I revealed. Dr. Kenna kept writing.

"Why doesn't she trust you with your sisters?"

"I don't know. She yelled me one time when I was holding my new baby sister, Hope." I put a layer of sorrow in my voice to appear pitiful.

"Have you talked to Mommy?"

"I tried. But she won't listen to me." I insisted. Dr. Kenna nodded her head and kept writing. Once she is done, she gazed at me.

"Well Mercy, don't worry. You can tell me anything. In this room, we are good friends." Dr. Kenna assured me.

"I know."

"Do you have a good relationship with all of your sisters?"

"Yes, I like to play with my sister, Blake. I like to care for Hope. I often listen to my sister Jackie sing. My older sister Kelly is nice to me. I have a another sister named Gabby that is really cool and another sister named Annie. She is nice to me too."

"Sounds like a packed house." She remarked. "Well your Mother told me you have an issue with your older sister, Gabby."

"Sometimes. Gabby doesn't like me following her at school because her friends laugh at her." I said gently. "I really wish I could make her like me." I made my voice pitiful. I was amazed by my acting. I was the perfect embodiment of a pitiful, innocent child. Poor Mercy, the sweet little angel that has experienced so much hardships.

Dr. Kenna looked at me with eyes full of compassion. "What do you feel is a good and productive way to make amends with Gabby and your Mother? Because your Mother tells me that you are special little girl. You're very intelligent and hard working at school. Your Father told me you are very good with small children and you are very kind hearted and a pleasure to be around."

When I heard Ryan's opinion on me, my heart swooned. How sweet can this man be?

"I think about giving my Mother gifts. I've been thinking about picking some flowers for her. Or making a nice meal."

Interest sparked in Dr. Kenna's eyes. "Well that sounds thoughtful!"

I acted like I'm ebullient. I bounced in my seat with a jovial smile. "Yeah! I hope that will get my sister and Mommy to like me!" I giggled.

I glanced at the clock hanging on the wall behind Dr. Kenna. I felt so carefree. This session is supposed to be one solid hour and I have five minutes left remaining. I felt like a peacock. Pride soared through my body. All of my anxiety has vanished.

When the minutes are up, I hopped off of the couch and gave Dr. Kenna a warm embrace. Dr. Kenna is charmed by me and embraced me kindly. I had this woman wrapped around my finger. She's probably questioning why I'm here at this point. What a sucker this woman is!

I released Dr. Kenna and skipped out of her office, humming sweetly to myself. My thoughts are glued to Hope and Ryan and Blake. The only important figures in my life. I contemplated on how I'm going to seduce Ryan. I need to do it soon. Mercy is frozen at the age of eight, so I can't wait a year or more. I've been holding off on killing Sarah for awhile because of Hope. But I have decided in the upcoming weeks, I will make Ryan mine. I went into the waiting room and Sarah headed into the office without me. I thought nothing of that. I was too occupied with my thoughts of slaying her to care.

I ignored Sarah's existence on the drive home. Sarah kept demanding what I told Dr. Kenna, but I am tight lipped and didn't pay her any mind. When we arrived home, I was one step inside the house when Sarah loudly slammed the door behind me.

"WHAT DID YOU TELL DR. KENNA?" Sarah bellowed. Her face was red, her eyes were like daggers.

Thankfully for me, Ryan, Jackie, and Blake were in the living room. They witnessed this madness. Jackie and Blake are speechless and too shocked to speak.

Ryan ran to my rescue like the gallant knight he is. "SARAH! What are you doing?" He cried horrified. Ryan ran to me and wrapped his arms around me protectively.

"MERCY LIED TO THE THERAPIST ABOUT ME!" She shrieked.

"Calm down! You're scaring her!" Ryan pleaded.

"NO! I AM DONE! MERCY, YOU ARE GOING BACK! YOU ARE GOING BACK TO THE PLACE YOU CAME FROM! HOW DARE YOU LIE ABOUT ME? I HAVE CLOTHED YOU, FEED YOU, AND LOVED YOU WITH ALL OF MY HEART AND THIS IS HOW YOU TREAT ME?! YOU LITTLE BRAT! YOU ARE GOING TO REGRET EVERYTHING YOU SAID ABOUT ME!"

Ryan struggled to calm down his enraged wife. But Sarah was the dominant one in the house. But the poor man did try his hardest to defend me.

"Sarah, Mercy is staying. Next time, you two should have a family group session!"

"We are not family anymore! That girl is a liar and there is something wrong with her! THERE IS NO POINT IN GETTING A FAMILY SESSION! BECAUSE I AM DONE BEING THIS GIRL'S MOTHER! SHE IS A BRAT THAT LIES AND DECEIVES EVERYONE!"

Damn. Sarah's words were sharp as a knife. Everything she uttered was venomous and offensive. If Mercy was a real person, I would be bawling in tears with a broken heart. But here, I am indifferent. I allowed this bitch's words to roll down my back.

Jackie ran to my aid. Her facial expression is full of shock and disgust. "Mom, what is wrong with you? Stop escalating this!" She shrieked. I felt grateful for Jackie. I am indifferent to this girl. But I did like how she is defending me.

Blake ran to me and embraced me longingly. "Mommy, please! Don't take Mercy away!" Tears of misery streamed down her cheeks. "Stop being so mean to Mercy!" She sobbed heavily.

Tears of gratefulness swelled in my eyes. I never felt so loved and wanted before. All of this love gave me great pride. I felt cocky in the inside.

Since it was a outnumbered fight, Sarah decided to throw in the towel. "I AM DONE!" She yelled. She pointed a stern finger at me. "YOU'RE LUCKY YOUR DADDY IS HERE! BUT SOON YOU WILL BE GONE! NO MORE THERAPY SESSIONS! I HAVE ALREADY SEEN ENOUGH OF YOUR TRUE COLORS TO SEE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU!" I managed to muster up tears of sorrow to appear like I was hurt.

I wept heavily. "Daddy!" I wailed. I squeezed Blake tightly. Ryan gave me a sweet kiss on the forehead.

"Go upstairs, girls. Mom and I need to talk." Ryan said in a stern voice. I loved this man so much. I broke out in a humble smile upon hearing that.

Me, Jackie, and Blake all went upstairs. I headed to Hope's room immediately. Blake followed me like a lonely puppy.

"Mercy, will you play with me now?" Blake urged feverishly.

"After I get done with Hope, Blake." I told her. I beckoned her to come with me. We both entered the room quietly. Sarah was nowhere to be seen. Hope wiggling around in her crib, completely restless and full of energy.

I grabbed a footstool and hovered over the infant's crib. Upon seeing my face, I witnessed Hope smiling for the very first time. Her smiling was beautiful, so innocent, so endearing. I can easily say that everything about this little bundle of joy is irresistible. She is so engrossing that I literally forgot Blake's presence. Blake nudged me back and seized my attention. I grinned at her. "Blake, she is smiling." I purred.

Blake had no interest in Hope. I saw a hint of envy in her eyes. Bitterness rolled on her tongue. She crossed her arms. "Come on, Mercy, just play with me already!" She demanded. She was pouting.

"No, Blake. I'm watching Hope right now." I scolded. "I will play with you." I promised. Blake pouted in dismay. She huffed and stormed off to her room.

It was very apparent that Blake was jealous towards Hope. I can only hope that childish sibling jealousy will fade away once I completed my plan.

I returned back to Hope, cooing and giggling at her. I made funny faces at her, making her giggling. Her giggling was music to my ears.

"Don't worry, Hopey. Soon, I will take care of you. Mommy loves you." I said in Hungarian. I kissed the baby on the forehead. I hurried off and kept my promise to Blake.

It was two weeks later when I decided to set my plan into motion. It was a warm Saturday afternoon. Hope was peacefully sleeping in her crib. Gabby was loudly chattered on her cell phone, I can hear her through the thin walls. I sat in the living room, Kelly and Annie were watching a movie with me. It was a tranquil day in the house. Sarah still pretended that I didn't exist and stayed upstairs. Jackie is practicing for another theater play at school. Her enchanting singing voice echoes through the house. Ryan was at the store with Blake. I decided that I am going to kill Sarah. I contemplated how. I strongly considered stabbing her to death. Similar like her best friend, Rachel. But Rachel was a dumbass who willingly followed me into the forest. Sarah, despite how much I despise her, doesn't trust me. There's nothing I can think of that could get Sarah to follow me into my trap. I can't do it in the house, so I dismissed that idea.

Then I remembered my therapy session. When I lied through my teeth and told Dr. Kenna that I wanted to give Sarah a nice meal.

When Kelly and Annie headed upstairs after the end of the movie, I bolted into the kitchen. I dug through the cabinets, searching toxins. Then I found it.

Rat poison. I decided to prepare a dish. A recipe that I was taught at a very young age by my Father. I cooked up a batch of spaghetti and meatballs. I sprinkled the rat poison into the boiling pot of spaghetti. I stirred very swiftly until there was no sign of the poison. When I am finished, I delicately poured a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs. I poured salt and pepper in it to hide the taste of poison. I put the rest on the counter. I tossed the rat poison back into the cabinet. I proceeded to clean up the counter.

"Mercy?" Blake appeared in the kitchen. I nearly jerked out of fright. Oh no! I have to make sure Blake doesn't eat this shit!

"Why are you making spaghetti?" Blake inquired.

"This is for Mommy." I admitted.

"Really?" Blake raised an eyebrow.

I nodded. "Wanna help me?"

Blake is eager. Blake desired to spent time with me. Ever since Hope arrived, Blake would constantly try to cling to me. I realized that I needed Blake to trick Sarah into eating the food anyway.

"Yes!" She chirped. I handed Blake the bowl of spaghetti and I escorted her upstairs to her Mother's room. Now I know what you are thinking. I am manipulating my future daughter into helping me committing murder. But I can't look like I was the only person involved. I need an assistant.

I knocked on Sarah's door, Sarah opened her door and grimace upon seeing me. But then her expression lightened when she noticed Blake.

She actually smiled cheerfully. "Oh! Did you make a meal for me?"

Blake nodded. "Yeah! It's a gift!" Blake exulted. "Eat it! It's for you!" Sarah delightfully took the bowl. She examined it and smelled it. "It smells wonderfully!" Sarah pretended I didn't exist. She didn't even question the origin of the spaghetti. What an idiot! Perhaps she is dumb as Rachel!

I watched Sarah placed the spoon of spaghetti into her mouth. "This is great. Thank you, Blake." With that, she smiled and swallowed her food.

"You're welcome, Mommy!" Blake cooed. "Mercy made it for you!"

Sarah looked at me with skepticism. "Thank you. Mercy." She said stiffly.

"You're welcome." I smiled. Then Sarah hurriedly shut her bedroom door. I embraced Blake warmly. "Let's go play!" I squealed. I caught of a glimpse of Annie eating my spaghetti at the dinner. I didn't think much of it, nothing matters now.

Later that night, Sarah went to bed early and hasn't came out of her room. Annie slept in her bedroom as well. Both of them has foolishly consumed my laced spaghetti. That poison must be destroying their bodies from the inside out. I heard Sarah groaning and moaning in her sleep. Ryan was downstairs, unaware what I was about to do. Everyone else in the house was fast asleep in their beds. I headed into the bathroom with another dress, some makeup, and a pair of scissors. The dress I picked contrasted the white dress I am wearing. A dark velvet dress. I cut it up to make it look attractive. I slipped into it and designed my face with layers of dark makeup. I put red lipsticks and kissed the mirror, pretending that it was Ryan's lips.

I curled up my hair with a flatiron and examined myself in the mirror. I looked womanly. No longer did I look like a innocent, precocious little girl. I looked like a sexy seductress. Everything had to be perfect! EVERYTHING! I felt like my heart is going to jump out of my chest. I am so nervous.

I exited the bathroom and headed downstairs to approach my soulmate. Ryan sat on the couch, watching a movie idly. I stared at him, just looking at him gives me orgasms. I must have him! Ryan belongs to me! I boosted up my confidence to get my MY man!

"Hello, Daddy." I said seductively. Ryan noticed me and was instantly baffled by my behavior. I dismissed this and sat right next to him. I scooted close to him, my hips touched his, my left hand is on his thigh sexily. I planted a romantic kiss on his cheek.

Uncomfort emerged from Ryan's voice. "M...Mercy….what are you doing?" He inched away from me. I leaned in to kiss him again.

"Nothing, just showing you how much I love you." I whispered in his ear. Ryan jerked away from me. Deep down, I realized that Ryan was freaked out. But I pretended that Ryan was simply playing hard to get.

"Ryan, I love you very much!" I caressed his cheek, Ryan swiftly grabbed my hand and pushed it away. He jerked up from his seat with wide eyes.

"Mer...Merc...Mercy, what are you doing?" He asked me. "Stop it!"

I giggled, trying to hide the hurt I felt at this moment. But I refused to give up! I decided to be more coquettish. "Ryan, do you think I look pretty?" I purred.

Ryan looked like he wanted to vomit, but he still chose to be nice. "You always look pretty, sweetheart. Now go to bed. It's very late and….um…." His voice drifted off. He looked so baffled and uneasy.

"Go upstairs." He ordered.

I became upset. "No! I love you, Ryan! I love you more than life itself! Why can't you understand that?" I poured my heart into my passionate words. I felt my heart crack. I started to realize my plan is dying. I quickly composed myself.

Ryan exhaled heavily. "No..no..sweetheart...please." He pleaded. He backed away from me. "I love you because you are my daughter. You are so confused." He had pity coated in his voice. He felt so sympathetic towards me.

I walked up to him. With lust brewing inside of me and seduction in my eyes, I gave him a wicked smile. "Daddy, I love you too. Will you tuck me in, tonight?" I purred.

Ryan eventually became frustrated. "NO! Mercy, enough! Go to your room!" He barked.

I smiled evilly. "Yes, Daddy. Don't be mad at me. I've been a bad girl," With that, I turned around and showed him my ass. "Will you spank me, Daddy? I deserve to be punished."

Ryan nearly threw up in his mouth. He covered his mouth in disgust. He glared at me beyond pushed over his limits. "ENOUGH! GO UPSTAIRS NOW! WIPE THAT MAKEUP OFF OF YOUR FACE AND GO UP TO YOUR ROOM!" He commanded.

I kept trying. I love him too much to give up now! "Please, Ryan, let me take care of you!" I cried passionately, I flung myself to him. I was greeted with a sharp slap across the face.

I landed on my butt and me and Ryan exchanged in a silent stare. Both of us shocked about what just happened. My heart broke completely. Rejection. That's all I felt. My cheek was burning. Tears swelled up in my eyes. No! No! NO! NO! This was supposed to be perfect! This was supposed to be my happy ending! Ryan instantly expressed regret. But it was too late. He broke my heart. I burst into tears and ran off.

"Mercy…." I heard Ryan mutter. But I didn't care. I spilled into the nearest bathroom upstairs and slammed the door. Fuck Ryan! He chose to break my heart! I gave up so much! No! NO! I felt like the world is mocking me! All that hard work, all that passion, all of the acting, all of the bonding. All for nothing! I felt so betrayed. I loved Ryan. I believed he loved me. I believed that he would never hurt me. I thought he was different. But no! He isn't. He's like all of the rest. All of the other men who hurt me and broke me. Ryan is nothing but a wolf in sheep's clothing! FUCK HIM! Fuck Sarah! Fuck Gabby! Fuck everyone in this goddamn house. Rage brewed within. I knew this rage inside of me, it is the same rage I get when I'm rejected. The same homicidal rage. I began to see red. Tonight is my last night here. This is all Ryan's fault! Tonight his family and him will face the wrath of me.

I decided to pack all of my stuff, I went into my bedroom and grabbed a suitcase. I packed it up with my makeup kit, dresses, and so on. I went back into the bathroom and wiped off all of my makeup. Revealing my true self. I am done with this place. Fuck all of this!

Alanna was back and ready. I first targeted Jackie. I decided to kill the sisters before Ryan. Sarah is going to die regardless. I had nothing against most of the sisters, but I couldn't have any possible witnesses. I grabbed the pair of scissors, I used to cut my dress and headed into the room we shared. Thankfully for me, the songbird was a heavy sleeper and never woke up from all of the commotion. I shut the bedroom door and crept to her slowly. The room is dimly lit. I grabbed a sock on the floor and I jabbed it into her mouth. Jackie awoken immediately and jerked up. I wasted no time in stabbed her in the chest repeatedly.

Jackie was too stunned to fight me back. She was only able to release a pitiful whimper. The more I stabbed the more savage I became. I managed to give her one stab in the heart and she died instantly. I was soaked with blood, Jackie's bed sheets are coated in crimson. I headed to Gabby's room and to my satisfaction, she was preparing to sneak out. She was inches out of the window, her back is towards me. She is oblivious to all of the mayhem that is brewing within this house. Swiftly I ran to her with both arms out and I shoved her clear out of the window. Gabby released out a shrill shriek. There was a trampoline to stop her fall, but I managed to push her further away from it and she fell headfirst to the ground. I looked down at her, there was not a soul in sight. I remembered how I pushed her on that playground. Her neck snapped the moment she landed, her body was twisted in a unnatural angle. She was motionless, I could already tell that she was dead. I heard Ryan still in the living room, he was still watching his stupid movie with high volume. Probably trying to drain out the event that just unfolded. He was oblivious, never once came upstairs or noticed me.

I wasted no time. Every seconds mattered. I headed up to Kelly's room. I gasped upon realizing that she was not in her bed. She was in her own bathroom. I was ready for a fight. I turned the door knob of her bathroom and it opened. I suppose since this was her own bathroom, she never felt like she needed to lock her door. I discovered Kelly taking a late night bubble bath. I chortled at this sight. It seemed so surreal and funny. Kelly shrieked upon seeing me. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Her eyes are wide as saucers. She gazed at me in terror. "Who are you?" I looked like a totally different person to her.

I stopped laughing and I gave her a cold hard stare. Kelly began to whimper, trembling uncontrollably. I closed the bathroom door and locked it. No way of escape. I leaped at a terrified Kelly with my bloody scissors in hand. I dove into the bathwater, my dress and hair is drenched. I punched and kicked the girl until I managed to plunged her head under the water, I put all of my weight onto her back. She splashed and kicked furiously. Bubbles from her mouth erupted. My scissors fell into the bathwater.

I drowned Kelly within two minutes. I leaped out of the tub. Kelly floated face first in the tub. I had no time to waste. Drenched, I discovered Annie in her bed dead. The poison killed her before I did.

Now it was Blake. I felt my heart jerked with resistance. Does Blake deserve to die? All logic in me say yes. No witnesses! Blake will talk! All of this Ryan's fault! All of this! I am a mixture of emotions. But in the end, I decided that I can't risk it! I am unable to stab Blake to death, so I considered burning down the house. I need to conceal all of the evidences anyway. I grabbed a chair out of Annie's room and headed to Blake's door. I placed the chair up to the door to act as a blocker.

I gazed at Hope's room. Even in my rage filled frenzy, I will never harm that innocent child. I don't know why. I love Hope. I truly cared for Hope and I want her to have a productive life. I was her Mommy and Mommy loved her very much. I then realized that Blake was no longer my treasured child anymore. I still loved her, but the majority of my love and care went into Hope. I am resolved to spare this child.

I went into the Master bedroom to find Sarah dead in her bed from the poison. I chuckled wickedly at this. "Bye, bye, bitch." I mocked. "Have fun with Rachel!"

I exited the room. The house is almost silent. Almost everyone is dead. All you can hear is the movie playing and the air ventilation. I headed to the stairs. Now it is Ryan's turn.

 _Next chapter soon. Reviews and thoughts. Read my other stories and give me your opinions_.


	14. The Flames of a New Beginning

I slowly and quietly crept down the stairs. My bloody scissors gripped in my hand. Ryan was oblivious to my presence, he was engrossed in the movie he was watching. He was completely unaware that half of his family is dead upstairs.

I desired a knife. I sought out the largest and sharpest knife to end this bastard's life. All of my love and cherishment for Ryan has dissolved. Now all I felt was hatred. Ryan betrayed me. He hurt me. He broke my heart. The bastard had the audacity to lay a hand on me.

Unbridled rage boiled in my body, I wanted to rip this entire house into pieces. Everything inside wanted to lash out. I made sure I was silent as I made my way to the kitchen.

I slowly opened the kitchen drawer and I examined the rows of knives in my possession. All of them were razor-edged. I smiled devilishly. I recollected my memories about my previous murders. I remembered their last breath, I remembered the sheer terror and panic in their faces, I remembered the smell of their spilled blood. Now Ryan will face the same fate.

I wanted Ryan to suffer. I wanted his last moments in this cruel world to be hell! I grabbed the same knife I used to kill Rachel. I reminisced her last moments. Her hellish eyes, her last cry for mercy, her shrill screams, the sheer brutality I inflicted on her. Ryan deserved the same fate as her.

With an emotionless expression, I headed into the living room and approached Ryan. Ryan noticed me immediately and jolted off of the couch. He eyed me and saw the blood on my clothes. He saw my true face with horror. The blood of his family members screeched out to him silently.

Ryan became ghastly pale, his eyes were wide as saucers, he looked like he was seeing death in person.

"Mercy...Mercy…" He stammered. He backed away from me, my eyes followed his every movement.

"Ryan," I said callously. I brandished my knife with a wicked smile. I switched my voice to sound sweet and innocent. "Do you like my knife, Daddy?" Ryan's eyes flashed with pure fear. Now for the very first time, he realized that Sarah was right. That there was something wrong with Mercy. There was something dangerous about Mercy. But no, Ryan only saw Mercy as his delicate little girl. Now he was face to face with Alanna Petrov.

Ryan's eyes bulged. "What?" He was baffled. "Why? Do….do...do..you have blood on you?" He gasped. He looked at the staircase. I could read his expression and knew exactly what he was going to do. He attempted to make his way to the stairs, but I blocked him. I gave him a unnerving and callous stare.

"They're dead, Ryan." I said lowly. "All of them."

"Mercy." Ryan said for the final time.

A ferocious scream erupted from my throat as I lunged for Ryan. I violently stabbed Ryan in the stomach with sheer force. Ryan tumbled to the floor and on his ass, I followed his movements with ease and I continued stabbing him. I don't stop, I stabbed him repeatedly, his blood drenched my clothes and skin. I stabbed him in the legs, arms, and torso. After fifteen stab wounds, I stopped. Ryan was clinging to life, he was unable to move, he squirmed and winced in pain, his wounds bleed profusely.

I wanted him to suffer, I scanned the living room for something I can torture him with. I desired anything that causes great agony and misery. Quickly, I found Annie's baseball bat. It was hard and made out of aluminium.

With the baseball bat gripped in my hand, I walked over to my prey swiftly, I raised the bat over my head and I proceeded to violently bash Ryan's head with it. I hit him over and over and over, his skull cracked open, blood streamed down his head like a river. Ryan's blood curdling screams are music to my ears. Bastard deserved all of the misery and torment I am giving to him.

"YOU BASTARD! ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS LOVE ME!" I seethed. After several more blows to the head, I tossed the bat aside and I retrieved my knife. I bent down and stabbed him in the chest repeatedly.

"YOU DESERVE THIS! ALL OF THIS! I LOVED YOU! I LOVED YOU SO MUCH! AND YOU RUINED IT! WE COULD HAVE HAD A BEAUTIFUL LIFE TOGETHER! WE COULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY! BUT YOU FUCKED IT ALL UP! YOU CAUSED YOUR OWN DEMISE!" I roared. All of my hurt emotions came to the surface. Tears of misery streamed down my cheeks. "ALL I WANTED WAS TO FIND A MAN WHO WOULD LOVE ME! ALL I WANTED WAS A FAMILY! THIS IS WHY I AM DOING ALL OF THIS!" Ryan's eyes are glassy and are glued to me, he is shockingly still alive, he was slipping in and out of consciousness.

"WHY? WHY? WHY COULDN'T YOU LOVE ME? WHY CAN'T SOMEONE JUST LOVE ME?! THAT'S ALL I WANT!" I sobbed brokenly after my final seventy ninth stab. The blade snapped off due to my brutality and force. I was drained from this. I looked into Ryan Sullivan's lifeless eyes. I broke down crying. "Why can't someone just love me?" I whispered to myself sorrowfully.

I cried for a good five minutes. All of my pain and sorrow poured from my eyes like a broken faucet. But when I am done crying, I composed myself. What's done is done. Now I must start all over.

I headed to Hope's bedroom. I caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror in the bedroom. I saw all of the blood on me. I looked like a monster. My hair was drenched with crimson and unkempt, blood is splattered on my face and clothes.

I walked towards Hope's crib. The infant was wiggling and restless. She looked up at me. Perplexity and confusion flashed in her innocent eyes. If only this innocent baby knew this was the blood of her Father. I felt no remorse for killing Ryan or the others, but I did feel pity for this child. Hope is innocent. She is the only one I love. My love for this child is infinite. There are no words to describe how I feel about this child. She is the only one I care about. I imagined myself caring for her. Mothering her and nurturing her with all of the love and care in the world. Hope was the dream child I always desired.

I then heard loud pounding of a door in Blake's room. She was up and alert, I heard the sheer panic and apprehension in her voice. She screamed and begged for someone to let her out of her locked room.

I ignored Blake. I couldn't allow her to escape. Blake's demise was Ryan's fault. Sarah, Jackie, Annie, Kelly, Gabby, Blake, all of their demises are because of Ryan!

I decided to clean myself up. I exited Hope's bedroom and into the nearest bathroom. I took a short shower and changed into a cute brown dress, I applied my makeup to conceal Alanna and I washed my hair. I grabbed my suitcase and put them by the backdoor.

I was finally sweet Mercy again. I formed a cheerful smile on my face. "Hello, I am Mercedes. But you can call me Mercy." I rehearsed my innocent introduction flawlessly. I headed out of the bathroom and searched for Hope's baby carrier. Blake's screams echoed through the house. Now I must burn this place down. I found the baby carrier in the closet in the end of the hallway. Cleaned and coy, I headed into Hope's room. I proceeded to pick up the infant, the infant was cooing in delight from me holding her. Her smile was radiant and made my heart fluttered with joy. It was delightful to know beauty and innocence still exist in this world. I put the child into the baby carrier and fastened her in. The girl began to cry. Her sudden cries turned into feverish wails quickly.

I suspected her of being hungry. I grabbed the baby carrier with Hope safely fastened in and headed downstairs. Her wails turned into fussy screams that pierced my eardrums. I put her carrier down by the front door. I turned her carrier to face the door, Ryan's gruesome corpse was in the room and I did not want her innocent eyes to witness that. Blake's shrill screams became hysterical every second.

I went into the kitchen to grab a box of baby formula and proceeded to make Hope a bottle of milk. When I am done, I proceeded to look for matches to burn the house down. I swiftly found them in one of the drawers and put them on the counter. Afterwards, I gave Hope her bottle. I was right. The infant was hungry and drank the bottle feverishly. When she is done, I went back into the kitchen and grabbed the matches. I headed to the backdoor and I exited the house that way with Hope in the carrier and my belongings. Hope is content and full, she fell asleep peacefully.

I headed into the woods and I placed Hope far away from the house. Then I left her alone and hurried back to the house.

Near the house is the gallon of gasoline. I grabbed the tank nozzle and just sprayed the back of the house wildly. I drenched the walls with gasoline until I couldn't no more. I grabbed the heavy tank and with adrenaline running through me, I darted out into the woods with it. I made it at least fifteen feet away from the house when I am deep within the woods. I used my dress to wipe off any fingerprints off of the tank and dumped it into the woods. Then I hasted back to the house with the matches.

With a heavy exhale, I lit up the matches and flickered it onto the gasoline. The house went up in flames gradually, I watched in awe as the flames licked the windows upstairs. I could hear Blake's screams emanating from inside the burning house. I knew that someone would call the authorities to report the fire, so I made sure I looked the part. I allowed tiny flames to form the edges of my dress. I danced around to cover my dress to become dirty.

"I am sorry, my little Blake." I said in a soft voice.

Her screams ceased when the entire house is full of flames. The house roasted and was swallowed by hell itself.

I then ran back to the sole survivor and I gave her a light kiss on the forehead. "I love you." I whispered to Hope sincerely.

Then I heard sirens approaching. I am quick thinking and I proceeded to dirt myself up by covering my clothes and skin with dirt.

I created my entire story in my head instantly. I was a innocent victim of a house fire. I woke up in the middle of the night to smelling smoke. I was only able to grab my baby sister and get out of the house. I was helpless as the entire house went up into flames. I would create a reason why I had my packed suitcase by claiming that the family was planning on taking a vacation. My story seemed foolproof.

I was covered with dark stains from the fire I allowed on my dress, so it looked like I narrowly made it out of the house alive.

Within minutes, the fire department zoomed to the house, I ran and grabbed Hope and hurried to the fire department and the local authorities. I made sure I was hysterical and terrified. I burst out into distraught tears as I approached them. Hope was awoken by my sobbing and began to cry profusely.

"THEY'RE INSIDE! PLEASE HELP! MY FAMILY IS INSIDE! SOMEONE, PLEASE!" I shrieked.

An officer ran to me and asked me if I was okay. Another officer grabbed Hope and I struggled against him by tightly clutching Hope's carrier. "NO! NO! NO!" I wept sorrowfully. "DON'T TAKE HER!" Now my emotions are real.

The officer cradled the weeping Hope and attempted to calm me down. "Calm down! It's all right. I'm not taking her away. We are going to the hospital." He told me. With that, I am whisked to an ambulance, the officer gives Hope to a nurse inside and I sat down on the seat with a blanket covering me. My eyes are glued to Hope as we drive off. Now I must start back from square one.

 _ **Next chapter soon. Reviews and thoughts. Read other stories and leave reviews for them. I hope you like this chapter.**_


	15. Saint Amorettes

_**In this chapter, Mercy is taken to the hospital for checks. Now I am writing my Infection story soon, but it will take abit longer. Give me your thoughts and opinions on the characters of all of my stories, please, because I strongly value character development and personalities.**_

At the hospital, I sat on the hospital bed. My mind is fixated on Hope, they have whisked her away to another room in the same hospital to examine her. I was deemed as healthy fairly quickly.

I pretended to be sorrowful and hysterical. I was a distraught child that just experienced a traumatic tragedy.

I felt no remorse for what I did. That's the honest truth. All I cared about was my little Hope and my future. I contemplated on what exactly to do. I anticipated that this family would be my ticket to happiness and enlightenment, but I was wrong.

I must find another family. I needed another orphanage to call home.

Eventually I left the hospital without Hope and I was sent to the police station for questioning. I never felt so anxious in all of my life. Being around authorities always made me feel terrified. They're the only people who can take me away and lock me away for good.

During the questioning session, I remained composed. I told them the story I fabricated with my superficial charm and pitiful tears.

Everyone seemed to believe my story. The authorities then alerted me that there was possible arson involved. They assured me that they would find the cruel arsonist. I was wearing a mask of grief, but on the inside, I was cheering in triumph. I was actually getting away with this!

The fire burned the family to a crisp, making them entirely unrecognizable. No one suspected foul play.

The only thing that mattered to me was Hopey. "When can I see my baby sister again?" I asked feverishly.

The officer that took me to the station gave me a downcasted look. "Well….Mercy," I felt a hole forming in my heart.

"No.." I whispered miserably. No! NO! NO! NO! I imagined the worst.

"Your Aunt…...she picked up Hope from the hospital." He informed me. He attempted to sound empathetic, but my eyes swelled up with heartbroken tears regardless. There are no words I can fathom that could describe how I felt at this moment. I felt like someone just stabbed me in the heart, I felt like the blade of the knife was being twisted inside my heart.

"No...no...no...no...Hopey….no…" I broke down into tears. All of the pride and triumph I felt moments ago has dissolved. I felt dizzy and lightheaded.

My tears were raw and real. I cried my little heart out. The officers around me attempted to console me, but there was nothing they could do. I loved and cherished Hope with all of my heart. Hope was the only person I cared about in this world. I treasured her. I cared for her. In our short time together, Hope was the sunshine of my bleak world. I am a failure. I failed to keep my daughter with me. I failed at being a Mother. More tears ran down my face. I wanted to crawl up into a ball and die. I became hysterical, I began to hyperventilate. I bawled out all of my pent up emotions. "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NOT HOPEY! NO! NO!" I screeched. The officers attempted to calm me down. But I am too emotional to listen.

"She's with someone who can take care of her." An officer told me.

Then I feel something different. Through my heartbroken tears, I feel a odd sense of happiness. I couldn't explain it at first. I was baffled at the sense of happiness I felt. It was small, completely overcasted with the despondence I felt at this moment.

But as I dug deeper into myself, I realized what that happiness was. Hope would have a home. She would have someone to watch over her and care for her. I desired to have that person be me. But at least she is with someone that could provide for her.

I didn't think everything through. I didn't regret killing the Sullivans and I also didn't regret sparing Hope's life. But I didn't think about what exactly I would do next. Logically I shouldn't be shocked by this. Of course, Hope was going to be adopted by someone more dutiful parental figure than me. I was idealistic and believed in a delusional dream where me and Hope would be together and I would raise her as my daughter with no conflicts at all.

But I lacked so much that Hope would have needed.

"If you love something set it free." I thought to myself melancholy. I sniffled as despairing tears rolled down my cheeks. I understood what was the logical thing to do. But I hated it. I hated this feeling of helplessness. I wished I could have said goodbye at least.

I thought of Hope's face. Her beautiful, innocent face. Her sweet laughter. Her adorable smile. It caused me to smile myself. Hope will be always be in the back of my mind.

I wiped away my tears when I am slightly more calm. I struggled to compose myself. "Where am I going?"

The officer beside me gave me some tissues. He gave me a warm smile. "Saint Amorettes. An orphanage that will give you a perfect home." He told me.

With a heavy heart, I arrived at Saint Amorettes on a warm Sunday afternoon. It was in the beginning of December when I am driven all the way to Connecticut and left at the Orphanage.

I am completely rattled by my new surroundings. New people and new settings makes me uneasy. I never liked change.

Saint Amorettes was a quite beautiful place, I'll admit. It was made out white stone with a three stories structure. The outside was wide and open, there was large front yard with a spacious playground in the massive backyard. It was a pretty sight to look at. I saw the elegant sign of the Orphanage. I saw little girls all collectively dressed in drab uniforms.

When I was escorted inside, my breath was taken away. The Orphanage was wider and spacious on the insides than the outside. It is tastefully designed with white walls and polished wooden floors. Coming inside, I am approached by a wide staircase that led to the second floor. The officer that took me was talking to a nun in the doorway. He was explaining how I was a victim of a house fire and my entire adoptive family died and how I was just separated from my baby sister. Tragic sob story basically.

I didn't want to hear anymore of what the officer was saying. I carried my luggages and paced around the place. I saw Catholic religious imagery hanging on the walls. I am not religious, so I am indifferent to it.

"Goodbye, Mercy." The officer told me. I was told his name, but I have long forgotten, I waved back at him as he departed.

The Nun, whose name was Sister Rose approached me with a kindhearted smile. "Hello, Mercedes. Pleasure to meet you. I will show you to your dorm." She told me in a precise voice.

I followed Sister Rose up the stairs to the second floor, there was another flight of stairs that lead to the three floor. To my left and right, there is a corridor with rows of dorms and other rooms. My dorm is on the third floor and is the very last one next to the bathroom.

When I entered the room, I struggled not to frown upon seeing bunkbeds. No one was in the dorm because it was currently freetime. It was a fair sized room with eggshell colored walls. It was tidy and well decorated. There was a twin bunkbed on one side of the room, positioned horizontally against the wall. On the other side is a triple bunkbed that is also positioned horizontally against the wall. Both of them beds are made from fine dark wooden and are sturdy. There are couple of dark dressers and a wide closet. Charming place in my opinion.

I did hate that I will not have any privacy.

But I had to play my Mercy act. "It is lovely." I complimented. Sister Rose is charmed by my accent. "Your accent is delightful." She remarked. "You should go meet the other children."

"Can I unpack my objects first, please?" I asked politely.

"Of course, call me if you need anything. Make yourself at home." Sister Rose departed downstairs. I was alone with myself and my thoughts. I constantly thought about Hope in my mind. I had no keepsakes or mementos of her, I only had memories of her.

I pondered how many roommates I would have. Hopefully none of them are unruly. I unpacked my items and neatly folded my dresses. I discovered that the dress uniform we wear is similar to my dresses to hide my deformity. I dressed myself in the uniform in the bathroom and put a extra layer of youthful makeup.

I decided that if I am going to be here, I must act cordial. I can't be antisocial and distant all the time. I decided to interact with the children. I headed downstairs on the second floor to find the children meandering through the place. There was a library, a playroom, and a art room.

"Hello!" I waved cheerfully to everyone in the art room as I entered.

The children paid me little mind. I was simply another face in the sea of other girls. I directly greeted nearly every girl in the room, expect one.

A raven haired little girl that sat alone at a table. She was coloring delicately in her coloring book. I approached her and greeted her brightly. "Hello, my name is Mercy," I beamed. "What is yours?"

"Alyona." She said shyly. My mouth flew open in shock. Alyona looked at me baffled by my shocked reaction.

Her accent was thick. She sounded like she was not American. Alyona's cheeks became reddish with nervousness. Her deep blue eyes darted back to her coloring book.

I decided to further interact with Alyona to avoid suspicion. I liked to spice up Mercy's character sometimes. Personally being around all of these people did make me feel edgy, but I didn't want to look antisocial on my first day here.

"So how are you?" I asked Alyona.

Alyona looked up at me with childish timidity. I quickly got the impression that Alyona was a shrinking violet. A girl who clearly doesn't like to make small talk.

"Good," She appeared hesitant. "Um...umm...where are you from?" I could tell in her voice is trying to be polite and was alluding to my own foreign accent.

"Estonia." I chirped. "I came from Estonia. Where did you come from?"

Alyona gulped and broke eye contact with me. "Um...um...Russia. I came from Russia." She choked out. She was still blushing profusely. I was shocked to find someone like me. Someone from a foreign country. The only difference is that I'm a grown woman frozen in a little girl's body and Alyona wasn't. She was a real eight year old girl. I felt my motherly instincts kick in. Yes. I know what you're thinking. Pretty fast to move on from Hope, right? Not exactly, Hope will always be in my heart and memories. But I do need to practice how to be a Mother. I wanted Alyona to be my practice child.

I actually did care for her, I was captivated by her with our common backgrounds. I gave her a gentle smile. "Your coloring is really good." I complimented.

Alyona avoided looking at me. "Thank you." She whispered.

Alyona was the perfect practice child for me. Shy, reticent, and sweet. She reminded me of myself of when I was innocent and young. She was adorable as a kitten. She has curly raven hair with aqua blue eyes. She had the appearance of a porcelain doll.

"Can I draw with you?" I inquired.

Alyona looked up at me with uncertainty in her eyes. "Umm….really?" She gasped in shock.

I raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter?"

Alyona blushed. "It's….just….it's just…." She stuttered with her words. "No one talks to me…." She admitted.

"Well I am." I told her charmingly.

Alyona gave me a small smile in return. I interacted with Alyona and even ate dinner with her.

After dinner, all of the children headed to their respective dorms. But I am kept behind in order to take my picture for my portfolio.

I smiled charmingly for the camera, bliss gleamed in my emerald eyes, my golden hair is in a neat ponytail.

Another nun that is younger named Sister Pauline escorted me to my dorm and I am introduced to my new bunkmates.

"Mercy, this is Monica." She gestured to a Hispanic girl with curly black hair. Monica waved me cordially. Then Sister Pauline gestured to a blonde haired girl with big blue eyes. "This is Trinity." She said. Then she introduced my other bunkmates to me, a little girl that looked to be ten or eleven, she is taller than me and had brown hair, blue eyes, and freckles all over her. "This is Jessica." and finally a biracial girl that looked to be eleven or twelve. She looked mixed with African American and Caucasian. Her skin was very light and her eyes were hazel. "This is Layla."

I considered making one of them my practice children. I needed to get as much practice as I could for my future child when I am adopted. The girls that are older than "Mercy," are off limits, so I am betting on girls that are lower or near Mercy's age. Layla sat on the top of the bunk I am going to share with her. Trinity, Jessica, and Monica all shared the triple bunkbed.

As I slept, all I could think about was my goal. In my dreams, I would see myself succeeding them. I dreamt myself wrapped around a man that was planting loving kisses on me. I was in a lovely white wedding dress, my hair is prim and curled, I wore fine jewelry. I dreamt myself with my lover, kissing him passionately.

I dreamt of my children if I could ever have one. I dreamt of myself going into labor and giving birth to a beautiful child that I could call my own. This is why I am doing all of this. I play a child so one day I could find a man to love me like my Father did. No regular man on the street will want me. Suddenly my dreams turned into nightmares. I recollected my memories of when I was a prostitute. I was beaten and abused more than I could count.

I will never understand why. Why can't I have a moment of bliss? Why can't I have peace? I remembered how I was rejected. My Father broke my heart. At first, me and him were close, we had this special relationship similar to how him and Mother shared. My Mother was mostly kind and caring to me, but as I got older, she became scornful towards me. She would snap at me and belittle me every chance she could. When I was eight, my Mother died of a heart attack. It happened when I was at school and my Father was at work. So when we came home that day, it was just tragic and terrifying. My Father was the only person that showed me true love from the very beginning of my life. Now I know what he did to me was abuse. But for the longest time, I didn't know. His "love" for me was all I knew. I still remembered the night he broke my heart. I remembered how enraged I was. I murdered him, slitting his throat and stabbing his girlfriend to death. I burned the house down and fled.

I woke up in a cold sweat from my nightmares.

Then I heard pitiful whimpering. I turned my head to see that blonde girl swimming in her bedsheets. She tossed and turned in sleep, suffering from a haunting nightmare. Trinity slept on the bottom bunk of her bunkbed.

Jessica is awake and looked annoyed by Trinity's commotion. I decided that this would be a great moment for me to practice playing "Mommy," I decided that since I'm going to be here, I should use these girls for practice.

I got out of bed and sauntered over to her. I wrapped my arms around Trinity and sat in bed with her. "It's just a nightmare...it's just a nightmare.." I consoled to her. My voice had the tone of a Mother comforting her child. Trinity's eyes popped open, she gasped at first, when she realized I was holding her, but didn't yank away. Instead she buried her tearful face into my chest.

Trinity released out a broken sob. She embraced me tightly. Jessica groaned in exasperation. "Why are you crying?" She demanded. She had no sympathy in her voice. "Why do you always has to cry? It is late. Go to sleep already!" Jessica hissed.

Trinity is unable to respond to that because she coughed out more sobs.

"Leave her alone!" Monica snapped from the very top of the bunk. Her voice is full of intensity and defense.

Jessica rolled her eyes in impudence. "Shut up! No one is talking to you!" Jessica shot back. Jessica reminded me of Gabby of this moment. I hope she will not be an issue for me. I ignored the little brat and continued to comfort my practice child #2.

I liked Monica quickly. Monica glared at Jessica fiercely. "Leave Trinity alone!" She barked. "Or else!" She added strongly. She displayed both of her fists in a hostile manner.

"Enough!" Layla's calm voice echoed in the room. She laid in her bed, looking exhausted and annoyed. She desperately wanted to return back to sleep. "Stop fighting, all of you!"

Monica rolled her eyes, she pointed a stiff finger to Jessica. "She started it!" She cried.

"I don't care, goodnight." Layla mumbled. She went back to sleep.

Trinity finally finds the ability to speak. "I…..I...am sorry…" She sniveled.

I gave her a supportive pat on the back. "It's fine. Just relax." I consoled. I gave her a comforting smile. "Do you want to talk about it?" I added.

Trinity shook her head. "No..no.." She sniffled.

"Just go to bed!" Jessica snarled. Trinity shook a little. Monica glared at Jessica. "Stop it!" She barked.

I am about to put myself into the mix, but Trinity is a peacemaker. "I'll go to bed." She said softly. Trinity looked me in the eyes. Her eyes are adorable to look at. "Thank you, Mercy." She said kindly.

Then I headed back to my bed. With a smile, I went to sleep.

In the early morning, I woke up and did my "Mercy," routine, when I headed back into the dorm, Monica approached me. "Mercy, wanna eat with me and Trinity?" She asked me.

"Sure." I smiled. I wondered how I would be a Mother to Monica. She seemed more independent and self sufficient compared to the other girls. Trinity and the other girls are already gone to the mess hall. Me and Monica went out into the corridor to head down to the stairs.

Then a girl who is running behind us blindly bumped into me. I released out a shriek and I tumbled to the floor with her.

The girl fell right on top of me, groaning in pain. "What the fuck?" She growled. She crawled off of me and glared at me. Monica helped me to my feet. She glared at me coldly. I returned the same glare.

"Watch where you are going!" She seethed. She was a tall girl with straight black hair and green eyes. She looked to be eleven or twelve. I learned later on that her name is Melinda. She would eventually become one of my many enemies at this place.

Monica became belligerent. Her fists are balled up, she gritted her teeth. "LEAVE US ALONE!" She walked up to Melinda, completely unfazed that Melinda was taller than her. "Leave us alone or else, I will make you leave us alone!" She threatened. Monica looked like she was ready to bawl. I smiled wickedly to myself at the thought of violence. But I knew that violence wasn't the wise choice.

Melinda glared at the both of us. She looked eager to fight, probably would have hadn't Sister Rose walked into the corridor.

"What are you ladies doing? It is breakfast time. Go eat." She commanded.

I forced myself to become obedient. I didn't want to cause trouble. Monica still looked like she wanted knock Melinda's teeth out, so I put a urgent hand on her shoulder. Monica glanced at Sister Rose and she knew that a fight was not a good idea.

Obediently, we all headed to the messhall.

 _ **Next chapter, Mercy practice playing Mommy with her new practice children.**_


	16. Bonding

"That is beautiful!" I complimented Alyona Sokolov in the art room. It was a pleasant Sunday morning. There were no classes and all of the children were free to do whatever they please. I interacted with my practice children in the art room. I've been here at the Orphanage for several weeks and I am down to only two practice children. Monica was adopted two weeks after my arrival. She was a sweet girl that I did like, so I was disappointed when she went. But now I needed to focus on my remaining two. Alyona, Trinity and I sat side by side at our painting easels in the art room. The sun filled the art room with pleasant warmth. Shortly after, Monica was adopted, Alyona began to progressively interact with me. I don't know exactly why. After a few weeks of pretending to be a social butterfly, most of the girls simply ignored my presence. I was just a another forgotten soul in this place. Eventually I dropped my act and I reverted back to Mercy's introverted nature. Like me, Alyona didn't click with any of the girls. She was a shrinking violet. My motherly instincts clung to the girl. I actually did care about her and I don't want anything bad to happen to her. Alyona seemed to be growing happier and happier with each passing day now that I was in her life. As far as I was concerned at the time she was my daughter. I had growing affection for Trinity as well. Aftersince I comforted her during her night terror, she has formed a tangible bond with me. Similar to Alyona, she is a sweet little girl that charmed her way into my heart. She was different from Alyona. She would suffer from constant night terrors and nightmares. Like Alyona, I had motherly feelings towards her. I tried to learn as much as I could about both of them. Alyona is difficult because she is reticent about her personal life, so I know very little.

Me, Trinity, and Alyona were all painting at easel next to each other. My painting is simple. A green landscape with dozen of colorful flowers with a light blue sky. I was always talented in art and loved painting in the art room.

I glanced Alyona's painting. Compared to the other girls, Alyona is artistic. The other girls' paintings are messy.

Her painting is delicate and beautiful. She sketches a wide garden. It is full of vivid flowers and a tall, lush tree.

"That is lovely." I complimented.

Alyona turned to me with a shy smile. "T..thank you." She whispered. She took a envious peek at mine and smiled. "Yours is beautiful, Mercy!" She complimented.

Trinity looked at mine as well. "It is beautiful, Mercy!" She chirped. "I wish mine was that good." She mumbled. I glanced at hers. It was a messy elephant.

I walked over to her and I gave her a playful smile. "It is cute, Trinity. I could help you if you like." I offered warmly.

Trinity smiled brightly. "Thank you, Mercy." She said sweetly. She pointed a finger to a nearby table. The table was stacked with all of the paintings and drawings I have drawn for the past days. I often bonded with the girls in this one room.

"Could I see the rest of your paintings?" Trinity begged.

I nodded. "Of course." I said gently. I walked alongside with Trinity to my paintings. I turned my head as I walk. "Alyona, would you like to see?" I called out.

"Um...sure." Alyona said softly. She got up and followed us. Trinity grabbed a portrait of Ryan. I hate to admit, but I still have lingering love for him. Most of my love for him turned into hatred, but I still remembered all our sweet and loving moments together. I enjoyed drawing him, I often fantasize about Ryan loving me and accepting my confession.

Alyona glanced at it and gave me a inquisitive look. ""Is this your Daddy?" She asked me.

I nodded. "I was very close to him. I miss him every day. I wish he were still here. I think he still is in some way. So I like to draw him." I explained.

Suddenly Alyona became downcasted. "Oh. Wow. You're very lucky." She mumbled. I turned my head to see Trinity teary eyed. I believed that I have hit a nerve.

Trinity wiped away tender tears and collected herself. But Alyona's emotions escalated.

"I wished that I had a Daddy like him. My Daddy was mean to me. He hit me and he was so gross!" She poured out her emotions. I put a comforting arm around her. "Alyona." I consoled. "You'll find a family that will love you forever! A Mommy that will kiss you and hug you and a Daddy that will treat you like a princess."

Alyona took a turn for the worst. "I...I..just wish I had NICE parents!" Then she burst into broken tears.

"I just want a nice family that will love me and not give up on me! I want a family that will never hurt me!" She sniveled. "I don't want to be here forever!"

I embraced her and gave her comforting words. "It is fine. We will all find nice families that will love us. I promise you." I spoke very gently and maternally. I felt like a Mother at this moment.

Trinity joined the embrace. She is such a sweetheart. "It's fine, Alyona. We'll all find a good home one day. Just like what Mercy said." She said cheerfully.

Alyona stopped crying and began to sniffle. She seemed very embarrassed, but touched by our efforts. "Thank you." She said softly. "Sorry. Sorry about what just happened." Her cheeks are flushed and she hung her head down in shame.

I gave her a supportive embrace. "No problem. I understand that you're sad. But you will find a home. I promise." I reassured her.

I am so happy that none of the Nuns were in the room. They were too occupied with the other children. When I'm alone with these girls, I would feel like a Mother.

Alyona broke free of our embrace. "I'm going to head to the bathroom very quick." She told me. Then she left.

Trinity stood by me with a concerned look on her face. "Is Alyona gonna be alright?" She asked me as if I had all of the answers.

"She is fine, Trinity." I stroked Trinity's golden locks gingerly. Trinity didn't mind this and smiled brightly. "Thanks, Mercy!"

Trinity paced back to her easel and I followed her. "Hey, Mercy, could you tell me what happened to your family? If you don't mind me asking."

I contemplated to myself if I should tell Trinity my tragic story. Of course, I'm not going to tell her the true story.

"My family died in a house fire." I said in a mournful voice. "Only me and my baby sister made it out alive."

Trinity became teary eyed. She instantly regretted asking. "I'm sorry." She whispered. Shockingly, Trinity contained her emotions better than Alyona. I assumed Trinity would be emotional at this moment. I recollected her many night terrors and nightmares at night. I became her constant comforter. I console her and ease her distress like a loving Mother would do to her upset child.

"My parents are alive, but they were…..just mean to me." Trinity admitted vaguely.

I nodded and didn't ask any further.

Then I heard a commotion in the corridor. I heard Alyona's pitiful cry. I rushed into the corridor and gasped at the sight of Melinda and Jessica cruelly snickering at a kneeling Alyona. I took one glance of Alyona's tear stricken face and I charged at the snickering girls. The nuns were downstairs, I believed, so I had no fear of getting catch.

"You little bitches! Fuck off!" I cried angrily. Melinda turned to me and laughed. Jessica was alarmed by my vulgar language.

I balled up my fists. I had no problem battering these girls to a plum!

"What did you do?" I demanded as anger boiled in my chest.

Melinda is not fazed by me. She gave me a cocky look. "Shut up, Mercy!" She hissed. She pointed a stiff finger at Alyona. "This is none of your business, this involves us!"

Jessica stayed close to Melinda, as like a source of pride, Jessica copied Melinda's arrogant attitude. "Fuck off, Mercy! Or else!" Jessica threatened. She balled up her fists and acted like she sought out to fight me.

I walked up to her eagerly, I had a broad smile on my face. "Fine, give me your worst. Do something!" I challenged her. I glared at the girl coldly.

A hint of self doubt flashed on her face, her fists unclenched and she took a cautious step away from me.

I chuckled at this cowardness. "Well aren't you tough shit?" I teased. I turned my attention to my beloved daughter. I walked over to her to help her up, but Melinda got in front of me.

She was taller than me and glared down at me. Her fists are balled, her eyes are fiery, and she looked like she was ready for a brawl.

"I said fuck off!" Melinda snarled.

I shot the girl the middle finger and attempted to get around her. Trust me, I want to beat the shit out of this kid, but I have to have a good reputation as well. So I decided that I would be passive aggressive for now.

Melinda gave me a hard shove that nearly made me stumble to the floor. I glared at her furiously, Melinda smirked confidently. "Do that again and I will fuck you up." Melinda threatened. I staggered back full of rage. I wanted to rip this girl into pieces.

Jessica stood in the background, softly giggling under her breath.

"Mercy!" Then Trinity darted to my side. "What happened?" She cried.

I don't answer her. "Look, bitch! If you mess with Alyona again, you will regret it!" I seethed.

Melinda became beet red. She raised her voice. "FUCK YOU! YOU WANNA FIGHT WITH ME, FINE!" She hollered.

"MELINDA!" I turned over to see Sister Wanda, one of the oldest nuns, storming towards us. She was known as the most authoritative figure in the Orphanage. Her eyes are locked on Melinda full of intensity and fury.

Melinda was pale as snow. She backed away slowly. Jessica bit her lower lip and nervously clasped her hands together.

Sister Wanda saw the weeping Alyona and instantly glared at Melinda and Jessica. "What happened?" She demanded sharply.

Trinity chimed in swiftly. "Melinda and Jessica were being mean to Alyona. Then Melinda tried to fight Mercy! Mercy was trying to break it up!" I smiled that Trinity kept my role in this situation tamed.

Sister Wanda nodded. "Thank you, Trinity." Alyona finally scrambled to her feet, her face was flushed with embarrassment.

"What happened, Alyona?" Sister Wanda asked.

Alyona sniffled and wiped away her tears. Her voice was strained and small. "I was walking out of the bathroom when Melinda pushed me down. Jessica even pulled my hair." She explained.

Sister Wanda gave Melinda and Jessica a stern glare. Melinda looked like she was on the verge of tears. "She's lying!" She cried. Jessica was silent, she knew that she was fucked.

Sister Wanda was not having it. "There is no violence here!" She reprimanded. "Come to my office!"

Jessica began to cry hysterically. Melinda was stubborn. She pointed an accusing finger to Alyona. "She's a liar! She is lying! I swear she is lying!" She cried.

Sister Wanda promptly grabbed both of the girls' wrists and pulled the girls downstairs to her office.

I ran over to Alyona and embraced her warmly. "Are you okay?" I asked her upon releasing her.

Alyona looked at the floor in shame. "Yeah." She said somberly.

I gave her a supportive pat on the back. "It is fine. Next time when someone messes with you, I will defend you. I will protect you." I vowed.

Alyona smiled gratefully to me. As an abused girl, Alyona was visibly glad to have someone looking out for her.

I had resentment boiling in my chest. I wanted to hurt the girls for tormenting my beloved daughter. I hated Melinda the most. I wanted to make them both suffer.

As I sat at the easel, my mind became clustered with violent thoughts. I imagined myself about myself ruthlessly torturing Melinda and Jessica. I know what you are saying. It is horrible that a grown woman in her late twenties is thinking about committing violence against a minor. Well you have to remember I am the person who is writing.

I knew I couldn't do anything too rash. So I contemplated on how to pursuit revenge.

It was nearly dinnertime when I decided to go wash up. "I'm going to get ready for dinner." I told them. Alyona got up from her chair, her face was fresh as a tear. "Okay." She muttered. "I'll save a seat for you."

I departed the room and headed to the nearest bathroom that was close to the staircase. "MERCY!" I scowled at the obnoxious voice of Jessica. I turned my head to her, she was standing on the first step of the staircase, her arms were crossed in indignation, her eyes pierced into mine.

"You got me and Melinda in trouble!" Jessica fumed. Her face became red with anger. I rolled my eyes and continued to head to the bathroom. Jessica took a angry step towards me and I stopped in my tracks.

"Fuck off, Jessica. You better get the hell out of my face now!" I warned her.

Jessica was defiant. "No! You and that Trinity girl got me and Melinda in trouble! Melinda has detention now because of you morons!" She seethed.

I shrugged my shoulders lazily. "So?"

Jessica balled up her fists. "You better not talk to me! Don't even look at me!" She hissed. I chuckled amused. I didn't even care for this girl's existence.

"Okay." I said lightly. I attempted to go to the bathroom, but Jessica grabbed my shoulder roughly. I yanked back from her. "Don't touch me." I warned her.

Jessica took a eager step towards me. She is close enough to kiss me on the lips. "What are you going to do?" Jessica challenged.

At this moment, I could lash out at this girl. But I can't do it right now. I may get caught red handed. Jessica didn't look like she wanted to fight me. But she also didn't want to look like she didn't want to.

"Leave me alone or else." I warned menacingly. I gave her a icy glare.

Jessica then gave me a hard shove that pushed me to the floor. I balled my fists full of fury. At any moment, I could snap and just attack this bitch.

My mind began to imagine violence, I imagined myself getting up and battering this girl black and blue. Then my mind turned dark. I imagined myself possessing a knife, with a gleeful smile on my face, I slashed her throat and left her lifeless body in her own pool of blood.

I glared darkly at her as I scrambled to my feet. I used all of my willpower to restrain myself. I took one step back and Jessica formed a cocky grin. She believed my resistance was a sign of a weakness and was brewing with confidence from it.

With glaring eyes, Jessica took a step close to me with balled fists. "Never mess with me or Melinda again!" She snarled. I had no time to react when Jessica gave me a hard punch in the face. Her stiff knuckle impacted my nose and made me nearly lose my balance. Sharp pain erupted in my bruised nose. I released a sharp shriek and I was stunned to do anything.

Jessica smiled proudly and backed away from me. My mind was riddled with violence fantasies. "STUPID, LITTLE BITCH!" I growled under my breath.

Jessica rolled her eyes at me. "Don't fuck with me or Melinda! Remember that or else!" She hissed. Then she headed down to the messhall. I wanted to stalk this girl so badly. I slept in the same dorm with her, but I can't do anything violent because Trinity is in the room.

I headed down to the messhall to find Trinity and Alyona sitting at a lone table. Trinity spotted me entering the messhall and waved enthusiastically. "MERCY! MERCY!" She shouted without a care. Other children looked up at Trinity and snickered cruelly.

I was served spaghetti and a cart of milk. I hurried off to the girls and sat next to them. Alyona took one look at me and seemed to know that there was something amiss with me.

"What's wrong?" Alyona inquired.

"Jessica pushed me down." I admitted.

Trinity and Alyona's eyes widened with concern.

"Are you okay?" Alyona asked.

I smiled. "I'm fine." I lied.

"We should tell one of the sisters." Alyona suggested.

"No. I don't want to start any drama." I reasoned. Alyona looked at her food crestfallen. "I just wished that Melinda and Jessica would stop being so mean." She said softly.

I smiled sweetly at my Alyona. I felt fierce devotion for her. I needed to protect her from Melinda and Jessica. They both needed to pay.

"Let's just ignore them." Trinity advised.

I pretended to agree with that. "Yes, Trinity is right." I said.

Trinity smiled beautifully. "Thanks, Mercy." She purred.

I contemplated on what to do to Jessica as I laid in the bed of the dorm. I considered beating her to a pulp. I stared her helpless slumbering body from my bed. I smiled wickedly at the fact that I could do anything to her.

In the early morning, I did my "Mercy," routine. It was a snowy Monday, on weekdays, I would have educational classes. I would pass them like a breeze and I had no difficulty with the assignments.

It was a normal day at the Orphanage. When it was freetime, I played with Trinity and Alyona in the art room. The nuns monitored the everyone from the hallways. I saw them walking up and down the hallways and into other rooms.

"Mercy, do you think we could get adopted together?" Alyona asked me suddenly. She painted a beautiful sketch of a rose.

I am not ready for the question and I am speechless at first. Like I said before I do care about Alyona and I see her as my daughter. So I personally don't want to be separated from her. But it is highly unlikely that any potential parents would adopt the both of us.

Besides I'm not like the other children here. I'm not looking for a family to raise and love me. I'm looking for a family that I could make my own.

I glanced at Trinity who is attentively listening to our conservation. "I hope we all do!" She chirped happily.

"I'm sure we will all find happy families." I reassured them. Alyona lowered her eyes to the floor and Trinity continued to smile cheerfully.

Then I noticed Melinda in the corner of my eye. She stood in the doorway, glaring at me. I took one glance at her and I could read her like a book. She hated me. I was her enemy in this place. I could see the hostility in her eyes. She wanted to fight me.

I glared at her back. Impulsively, I shot up the middle finger at her. Melinda's eyes lit up with fury and she shot up the middle finger to me in response.

"Mercy, stop it!" Trinity ordered me. I looked at her to see her stern expression. "You'll get in trouble." She warned.

I turned away from Melinda completely.

"That little bitch is going to regret messing with me!" I growled under my breath. I meant to say that low enough for only me to hear, but Trinity was right next to me. She is appalled by my behavior. "Mercy, no! If you guys fight, you will get in so much trouble!" She informed. "Just ignore her."

I exhaled. "I will try." But I was burning up with anger, I felt the effects on my body. I was shaking, my teeth gritted, my head throbbed. I felt like I was boiling on the insides. I felt myself lashing out on the insides.

"I need a drink of water!" I huffed. I was overwhelmed and I needed something to soothe me. I sprung out of my chair and hurried out of the art room without another word.

I ran blindly down the corridor to the nearest bathroom. It was quiet upstairs, the nuns were occupied with the lower floors that were full of rowdy children. I needed to calm myself down! Then I tumbled into my enemy. Melinda fell to the floor with me.

Melinda's eyes gleamed with intensity. She shoved me off of her with all of her strength. " YOU BITCH!" She growled. I staggered to my feet.

Her hands are balled up and she eagerly took a step close to me. Then I was greeted with a hard punch to the face. "OWW!" I cried out in pain.

I had no time to react as Melinda began to sock me across the face repeatedly. She was strong for her age and nimble. I fell on my ass with unbridled rage in my chest. Fuck it! I will not be beaten up by a snot nosed brat! My rage came to the surface and I jumped to my feet. My eyes became dark and narrow, I clenched my teeth, and balled up my fists. Then I charged at her full speed. I didn't care about being caught anymore. I tackled her to the floor. Melinda was a scrapper. She wasn't a weak opponent. Her fists immediately smashed my face. I found myself with my arms wrapped around my head for protection. She slammed her fists on me brutally.

On the floor, I managed to give her a hard kick to the stomach that made her stumble to the floor. "YOU CUNT!" I snarled.

I jumped to my feet, ready to charge.

"MERCY!" I swirled around to see Alyona and Trinity running towards me. Trinity ran to me and grabbed my arm to restrain me. "STOP IT!" She shrieked.

Melinda was not done with me. She charged to me and shoved Trinity to the floor. Instantly I grabbed a handful of her hair, yanked her down and I promptly kneed her in the face. Melinda shoved me off of her and staggered back. She covered her nose with her hands, howling in pain.

I ran to charge at Melinda for attacking MY Trinity. But Trinity is steadfast on being the peacemaker. She ran to me and snatched my wrist to stop me. "NO! STOP IT!" She cried.

Melinda charged for me again, then Alyona surprisingly came to my aid. She charged at Melinda from the sideline and tackled her to the floor.

Alyona was on top of Melinda and roughly punched Melinda repeatedly. Melinda was stunned, taken by surprise by Alyona's sudden attack. I hurried to her to help her, Trinity began to scream for help.

I was seconds away from jumping in and helping Alyona when Sister Wanda spilled into the corridor.

"WHAT ON EARTH IS THIS?"She yelled. Her yell was so loud and intense, it made me freeze up in apprehension. Alyona and Melinda stopped struggling and froze upon hearing Sister Wanda's voice.

Her eyes became narrow and stern. "MELINDA! ALYONA! MY OFFICE RIGHT THIS INSTANT!" She roared.

Alyona burst into tears. "I'M SORRY, SISTER WANDA!" She apologized vehemently. She scrambled off of Melinda and continued to weep uncontrollably.

Melinda appeared frantic. "Sister Wanda, Let me explain!" She protested.

"Sister Wanda." I attempted to defend my daughter, but Sister Wanda interrupted me. "No, Mercedes. Be quiet. Alyona and Melinda can speak for themselves!" She snapped. Then she gathered up Alyona and Melinda angrily and took them down to her office. I could heard Alyona's harsh sobs emanating downstairs.

"What happened?" Trinity asked frantically.

I decided to tell the truth, I saw no reason to lie. "I ran into Melinda and she hit me." I admitted.

Trinity gave me a concerned look. "Are you okay?" She asked.

My face did hurt, but I had no bruises. I was livid on the inside. I felt so much outrage at this moment. I struggled to contain my intense emotions. I felt pity for Alyona. She did try to defend me.

"Let's just go back to the art room." Trinity said as she pulled me aside.

I allowed myself to be tugged into the art room. I kept a composed face, but there was a growing flame inside of me.

Trinity was adamant on keeping the peace. "Wanna to paint with me?" She offered. I forced myself to smile to cheer Trinity up. But this moment is shattered when Jessica and two other girls entered the room. The two girls are tall and brown haired. One has freckles and the other doesn't.

"Please leave us alone." Trinity begged.

"No!" Jessica took a step closer to us. "What's your problem with Melinda?" She demanded.

"Fuck off!" I growled.

"You need to go back to whatever far away country you came from, Mercy! Take Alyona with you! If you ever mess with me or Melinda or any of my friends again, I will fuck you up!" She antagonized. The other girls behind her giggled in amusement.

"Dumb bitch." The freckled one muttered. The other one chortled over that comment.

"Stop it!" Trinity pleaded. "Just leave us alone!"

Jessica rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Trinity. No one is talking to you, dumbass!" She snapped.

Trinity was on the verge of tears. She was speechless.

Jessica became cruel in her tormenting of me. "Why did your parents name you after a car?" She mocked, earning laughter from her clique. "No wonder they left you here. Who would want an retard like you?"

I rolled my eyes. "Leave me the hell alone!" I barked.

Jessica mimicked my accent and copied me. "Leave me the hell alone!" She shot up the middle finger.

She giggled to herself. This girl's presence infuriated me. I glared at her.

"Go back to Russia or whatever you're from!" Jessica mocked.

I balled up my fists. Jessica was clearly trying to lure me into a fight and she was succeeding. I wanted to rip this girl into pieces.

"Mercy, no! No!" Trinity got up from her chair and got in between Jessica and me. "Stop, please!" She begged.

Jessica responded by giving her a rough shove to the floor. "Shut the fuck up, crybaby!" She belittled.

"TRINITY!" I shrieked. I sprung into action and charged at Jessica. I was full of unbridled wrath to the brim. Jessica was weak and feeble, she had no time to react when I tackled her to the floor. Her friends were shocked and backed away.

I gave her a hard punch across the face. Jessica was too stunned to utter out a scream. I wrapped my fingers around her throat and I squeezed tightly. I slammed her head onto the floor. Jessica released out a sharp cry.

"You little bitch!" I slammed her head onto the floor again. I slapped her across the face. Jessica burst into tears. I slammed my hand over her mouth to silence her. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" I growled.

Jessica became stiff. Her eyes were full of fear. I squeezed her throat even tighter. I shook her violently.

"MERCY, STOP IT!" Trinity's pleas fell onto deaf ears.

"If you ever hurt Alyona or Trinity again, you will be under this Orphanage! You hear me! YOU WILL BE WORMFOOD!" I promised.

Jessica began to cry. She trembled uncontrollably. She looked like a pitiful animal. I cracked her across the face again harshly. "Shut the fuck up!" I hissed.

I released her and returned to a stunned Trinity. "GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" I commanded. Within a fraction of a second, Jessica sprung up to her feet and bolted out of the room as if her life depended on it. Her friends ran after her.

Trinity gave me a worried look. "Mercy, why did you do that? You'll get in trouble!"

I admired Trinity's concern for me. I did have this lingering feeling that one of the girls would tell on me. But at this moment, I was overwhelmed with pride.

I looked Trinity straight in the eyes. "Trinity, I will make sure that we are not messed with ever again." I vowed.

Trinity's eyes widened. "Mercy...Mercy...were you going to kill Jessica?" She inquired.

I am silent at first. Frankly, I did want to kill Jessica.

"Jessica will never mess with us." I said terse. Trinity lowered her eyes to the floor and back at me. She gave me a disapproving look. "No. No. Mercy, that was too far!" She expressed. "You didn't have to strangle her!"

I leaned over to embrace the upset child. But Trinity wasn't having it. She backed away from me as I was going to lash out at her. Her eyes were pools of fright.

"Trinity, honeybuns," I cooed in a soft voice. "I will never hurt you." I promised.

I gave her a sweet smile. "I love you. You're my closest friend." I wrapped my arms around the stiff girl tightly.

"I only did what I did to protect you. I don't like seeing you get hurt." I explained to her in a gentle and slow voice.

Trinity avoided looking me in the eyes. I frowned in dismay as I realized that I have shown Trinity a hint of my true nature. It baffled me how quickly things has changed. One minute, Trinity is sweet and trusting, now she is cautious and fearful. I must bring her back to normal.

I decided to lie to save our "friendship." I mustered out tears to gain sympathy from Trinity. "Trinity, I am so sorry about what I did. I shouldn't have hurt Jessica like that!" I sniveled pitifully.

Trinity looked up at me and I saw her change in expression. "Promise me you'll never do that again." She insisted.

I released her and raised my pinky finger at her. "I pinky swear." I told her.

Trinity smiled beautifully and we clung our pinky fingers together as a pact. I was so happy that Trinity was a child. So gullible and easily swayed. Thankfully now she could revert back to normal and be my loving practice child.

Me and Trinity continued painting together.

 _ **Next chapter. Mercy bonds with Trinity and Alyona. Eventually Trinity is having doubts about her friend. Her enemies makes things worse. Will Mercy be pushed over the edge?**_


	17. Only One

I zipped up my thick coat as I made my way to backyard playground. It was a snowy afternoon in December. I shivered from the unpleasant cold. Alyona and Trinity, both bundled up in thick clothings didn't seem to mind the cold.

"Race you to the monkey bars!" Trinity squealed to Alyona. Without waiting for Alyona's response, she darted the monkey bars and Alyona ran after her.

I was too occupied to play with my daughters. I caught a glimpse of Jessica and her clique. I had to do something about her!

I stood idly by myself. I personally had no interest in playing on the playground and I desired to go inside. But I made a promise to Trinity that I would go outside.

I stared at Jessica from afar. I desperately wanted to stalk her. I wanted to hurt her in the slowest and most painful way possible.

Jessica doesn't even notice my stare, until one of her friends spotted me. It was a dark haired girl that was the same age as her. She gave me a cold glare and shouted out. "What do you want?" She snarled. Jessica turned her head to me and narrowed her eyes. I wondered if she learned her lesson from last week. Fortunately, I never got in trouble for that incident. I didn't hear a peep about it honestly.

Jessica probably forced her friends to not tell on me. Perhaps she didn't learn her lesson and thinks she can fuck with me. I personally didn't care what her reasoning was. All I cared about was making her life and her stupid friends' life a living hell.

Jessica glared at me furiously. Melinda was nowhere to be seen. She was punished with two weeks of detention for her unruly behavior. I did love that she was trapped inside all day, but she isn't suffering.

She hurt my daughters and me. That little brat had to pay! But for some reason, Jessica was the person I despised the most. Perhaps it was because she resided in the same room as me. Her mere presence infuriated me.

I thought about Alyona and Trinity. MY Trinity and Alyona. I felt like I had a obligation to protect them. I know they're not blood related, but in my mind, they are my daughters. I paced around the playground, monitoring Alyona and Trinity playing. I had no interest in playing at all.

As I walked around the playground, I developed an idea about how I could fuck with Jessica. It was a simple idea. I smiled brightly at my idea. I waited impatiently for Sister Wanda to allow us inside. When she does, I rushed inside and I felt the pleasant warmth.

I hurried upstairs to analyze each of the Sisters' offices. I sought out to steal an object from the office and frame Jessica with theft. I decided to focus on Sister Wanda. She was the powerhouse of this place. I respected her. She was authoritative and level headed. The children here respected her authority more than the other Sisters. So if a child stole from the mighty Sister Wanda…

I wanted something important, like a cell phone. Something that will make Sister Wanda outraged if she learned it was stolen. I made sure I was stealthy. My heart was pulsing in my chest, my palms were sweaty. If I was caught, then it would be game over.

Sister Wanda was still downstairs, monitoring the children with the other Nuns. I opened her office door and entered the room. It was a fair sized room with pale green walls and one large window. I made sure to close the door slightly.

Her room had a sweet aroma of delicious vanilla. I hurried to her desk and grinned widely at my luck. I saw her cell phone sitting on her desk attached to a charger. I was confused to why she would leave her phone alone. I heard girls scurrying upstairs. Giggling and chattering erupted in the building.

My heart quickened. I grabbed her cell phone, yanking it off of the charger. I had no time to waste. In a mad haste, I exited the room and into the corridor. Wanda was not upstairs. I heard her talking to a girl who was crying for some reason. I concealed the cell phone the best I could.

None of the girls seemed to notice me. They paid no attention to me and I hurried off to my dorm. When I entered the room, no one was in there. I burst out into wicked giggles as I planted the stolen phone under the mattress of Jessica's bed. I was grinning ear to ear.

"MERCY!" I heard Alyona shouting out for me. She spilled into my dorm with a excited smile. She was beaming with happiness. "Sister Jane is having a party downstairs. There's cupcakes and cookies! Come on, Trinity is looking for you." She said feverishly.

I smiled genuinely at this moment. This moment showcased how Alyona has finally warmed up to me. Alyona is a shy and meek girl that would fade into the background, she reminded me of myself when I was little.

So to see her happy brightened up my day. Her Russian accent was music to my ears. "Of course, honey." I cooed. Eagerly, Alyona led me downstairs and into the playroom. It was decorated tastefully, all of the toys are stacked inside the closet. There was a long table piled up with sugary cupcakes and chocolate chip cookies. The children ate among themselves and chattered to each other. I grabbed myself a cup of red punch and I made a plate of two cookies.

Me and Alyona sat on the couch with Trinity. I snacked on my cookies, relishing the sweetness.

I watched my daughters happily eating their cookies and cupcakes. It was a beautiful sight to see. For a brief moment, I felt tranquil. I enjoyed this moment, me being in this warm room, eating a delicious snack, and sitting by my loved ones. I thought about how I felt about Alyona and Trinity. They honestly did make my life here happy. I didn't hate this place. It is ten times better than being in that institution. But I can't help but worry about me being here for too long. I constantly anticipate my next potential family. Every passing day since I've been here, no couples has arrived.

But being near Alyona and Trinity has made my days here bearable.

I glanced at the little ones and the Sullivans appeared in my mind. I didn't know why they popped up in my mind. I thought about how I murdered them. Blake. Kelly. Gabby. Annie. Kelly. All were young. I didn't see myself hurting them. I dismissed the family within seconds and I focused on my current daughters.

I stroked Alyona's raven hair gently. "I really like that we are all friends." I said sincerely. I smiled brightly at Trinity.

Trinity was too occupied eating her cookies. Alyona gave me a beautiful smile. "Thank you. I'm really happy you're here." She said sweetly.

"SISTER JANE!" Sister Wanda's voice echoed through the corridor. She appeared in the doorway with a concerned expression.

"Can you help me, please? I seem to have lost my cell phone." Sister Wanda asked.

Sister Jane approached her. "Where did you last saw it?"

"It was in my office." Sister Wanda said bluntly.

"Are you sure?" Sister Jane probed. "Do you have any other ideas about its whereabouts?"

Sister Wanda narrowed her eyes. "I had it in my office. It was charging." She insisted. She gazed around urgently.

"Was anyone upstairs on the second floor at anytime?" I froze in my seat, my heart beats intensified. My hands began to tremble uncontrollably. No! NO! I began to panic on the insides.

"I'm not sure. I was downstairs with you and the others." Sister Jane admitted.

"Mercy, what's wrong?" Alyona nudged me and gave me a worried look. She noticed my anxiety.

I lied swiftly. "Nothing." I curled my hands into shaky fists. I inhaled and exhaled in and out softly to soothe my frizzled nerves. Alyona is alarmed by this sight and stared at me for a long time.

"Just in case, let's just look in all of the rooms and dorms." Sister Jane suggested. Sister Wanda nodded in agreement. "I will get Sister Josephine to look with me. You stay in here." She instructed. Then she departed the room.

My anxiety instantly vanished. I felt glee at the thought of Sister Wanda discovering her missing cell phone.

Once I composed myself, I turned to Alyona to reassure her. "I'm fine." I told her. Alyona doesn't seem convinced, but she didn't ask any further questions.

I sat and relaxed with my daughters for twenty minutes straight. Then I heard Sister Wanda's booming yelling.

"JESSICA!" She bellowed. Jessica, who was sitting in the corner with her clique, sprung to her feet with wide eyes. Her friends looked at her confused.

"JESSICA!" The playroom became silent as Sister Wanda stormed into the room. In her possession was her cell phone. She looked like she was seconds away from exploding.

"Yes…" Jessica said in a small voice. She shrunk at the sight of the angry Sister Wanda. Sister Wanda didn't seem to care that everyone else was in the room. She showed her cell phone to Jessica.

"Why was my cell phone under your bed mattress?" Sister Wanda demanded.

Jessica shook her head. "Sister Wanda, I don't know."

"It was under your bed, young lady. I want answers right now. Theft will not and will never be tolerated at Saint Amorettes!" Sister Wanda exclaimed gravely.

Jessica became teary eyed. Children stared at her as the event played out. "I don't know! I didn't do anything! I swear! I didn't steal!" She cried. But Sister Wanda was not in the mood. She frowned. "No, Jessica. Your behavior will not be tolerated here!" She rebuked. She beckoned her to come into the corridor with her.

Jessica proceeded to have a meltdown. She burst into hysterical tears, her face reddening and snot running down her nose. I chuckled under my breath at this.

Sister Jane is alarmed by this, but Sister Wanda is not fazed. Urgently, she walked over to Jessica and grabbed her wrist.

"NO! NO! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" Jessica screeched. Sister Wanda promptly dragged the distraught girl into the corridor. I continued to chuckle, I covered my mouth with my hands to hide my laughter.

Alyona and Trinity are occupied watching this scene to notice me.

"What happened?" Alyona suddenly asked me.

I decided to do something rash. I switched my English into Russian. "I stole Wanda's phone and I put it under her bed." Of course, Alyona being from Russia, understood me instantly. Her eyes lit up. She switched to Russian as well. "You did!"

I made my voice stern. "Don't tell anyone. I could get into a bunch of trouble!" I insisted.

Alyona nodded her head. "I won't." She promised. Alyona smiled brightly and went off to get another cookie.

I didn't want to inform Trinity. I hate to say it, but I am afraid that Trinity will tell. She had her doubts about me before. I don't want to risk it.

Jessica was given detention similar to her friend, Melinda. She wasn't allowed to play or interact with the other children for three weeks. She was forced to do chores around the place.

It was a week later when I headed to the art room to bond with my daughters when I caught a glimpse of hope.

A couple walking down the corridor being led by Sister Wanda. My heart raced with eagerness. This was the very first couple I have seen since I arrived here.

I studied them from afar. They looked like they were in their mid thirties. The woman was fair haired and tall. The man was dark haired and they both wore thick clothing.

I approached them eagerly. "Hello," I greeted them. They all stopped in their tracks and the couple gazed at me and noticed my accent. "My name is Mercedes, but I am often called Mercy." I said sweetly.

The woman smiled. "I love your accent!" She cooed. The man gave me a friendly wave. "Nice to meet you." I found the man attractive. He was handsome.

"My name is Cara Jackson. This is my husband, Carl." She introduced. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mercy." I extended out a friendly hand to her.

Sister Wanda chimed in. "Mercy, the Jackson are prospective parents, you know?" She informed me. I ignored her and continued to smile at the couple.

"Would you like to talk to Mercy in the Day room?" Sister Wanda offered.

"Sure." Cara agreed. I was bouncing up and down with joy on the inside. I briskly led the couple into the Day room. A fair sized room that was next to the art room. I frowned in dismay to see Melinda in the room.

Melinda sat alone at a table, her eyes are fixated in a book she is reading. I was shocked that this bimbo could read. Melinda's eyes flickered up when she heard the couple entering the room.

"Hello." She said softly.

Cara smiled at Melinda and glanced at her book. "Hey, what book are you reading?" She inquired.

Cara walked over to Melinda interested. I was seething with jealousy. What the fuck? I was here first! I screamed in my mind.

I felt like I was a product at this point. I was nothing but an object that must lure and charm potential buyers. Disappointment overflowed through me.

Carl followed his wife and left me stranded. I turned around crestfallen to see Sister Wanda. She gave me a sympathetic look. She knew I wanted to charm this couple.

I struggled to contain my frustration. I stood by and watched the couple chatter with Melinda as if I was not present. I never felt so disrespected before. (Well I have, but you know what I mean.) I was prepared to use my lovely charm and wits on this couple and they are attracted to this bimbo! And for what? For reading a fucking book?! WHAT THE FUCK?

I gritted my teeth in envy. I struggled to figure out why Melinda attracted their attention by doing nothing. I refused to be ignored like this. I forced a sweet smile on my face, I kept my tone gentle and polite as I approached them.

"Are we still having our talk?" I asked meekly.

Cara looked at me with a mild expression. "Yes. Sorry, I forgot." Then her eyes flicked to me and Melinda both. She formed a toothy grin. "We could have a talk together!" She suggested.

I discovered that Melinda was glaring at me. I could read her mind and we both had the same answer.

"I rather talk alone." I said honestly.

Melinda nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I want to talk alone too."

Cara frowned in dismay. "Oh." She mouthed.

I began to lose hope that this couple will adopt me. There is no chemistry between us. I recollected how I charmed the Sullivans. I was amazing. I had them wrapped around my finger with my charms and tragic sob story. But this couple, I don't think I have a chance to charm them.

Melinda became rude. "Go away already!" She hissed. The Jacksons looked at Melinda with appalled eyes. They were completely taken aback by Melinda's abrasive personality.

I gave up hope that I would be adopted by this couple. Honestly I was happy about that. This couple clearly doesn't respect me. Especially if they are willing to dismiss me like that. Fuck them! I walked straight out of the room without another word.

I was fuming with aggravation and indignation. I was shaking with fury towards Melinda. That bitch made my blood boil. I ran into my dorm and jumped onto my bed. I was alone and I released my anger onto the pillow. "FUCK!" I screamed into my pillow. I then began to violently tear at the pillow.

Then my emotions hit me like a tidal wave. Heavy tears burst out of me suddenly. I curled up into a ball on my bed and sobbed to myself brokenly. I felt myself spiraling into despair. I was a failure. I failed to charm this couple into adopting me. I didn't even have a chance to prove myself worthy! Then fierce anger seeped into my psyche. I slammed my fists into my pillow and I proceeded to batter it. "THIS IS ALL MELINDA'S FAULT! I HATE THIS PLACE! DAMMIT! DAMMIT! I HATE THIS SHITHOLE!"

My emotions was like a violent hurricane. All of my extreme emotions erupted inside of me. All of the frustration, the anger, the disappointment, the self pity, and just plain desperation.

I broke out into soft sobs as I buried my face into my pillow. "Why can't I ever find happiness?" I wept.

I softly wept in my pillow for a long time. My mind was plagued with violent thoughts. Melinda needed to pay. She was the root of most of my problems here!

After the party concluded, the children were allowed to go play. I stalked Melinda from the shadows. I evaded Trinity and Alyona, I did not want them to see me. Melinda resided in the detention room and was monitored by a Sister.

I walked down the corridor, contemplating what I should do. I sat on the floor with my legs out. Then a young girl blindly tripped over my legs. Her fall was almost comical.

It was a ginger haired girl named Addison. She was best friends with Melinda. And she was just as belligerent and unruly as Melinda.

"What the fuck, Mercy?" She shrieked angrily.

I rolled my eyes and remained silent.

Addison felt indignation from my indifference.

"Are you going to help me up, you stupid bitch?" She hissed.

I sprung to my feet and walked away. Unlike Melinda, Addison doesn't follow me and try to provoke me. I heard her angrily mumbling. I decided to cool off by going outside. On my way, I was shocked when I spotted Melinda out of the detention room. She appeared cautious. She inched downstairs quietly. Melinda snuck downstairs and even managed to stealthily make it to the playground. The supervising here is shit. I followed her to the playground. I watched her like a hawk.

Melinda noticed me staring at her. No one seemed to care enough to pay attention to us. The Sisters were occupied with the other children, so I had the opportunity to do anything I like to this bastard.

Melinda glared at me. "Why the fuck are you looking at me, you bitch?" She hissed. "Fuck off!"

Melinda then gave me a smirk. "Oh, I get it. You're upset that family liked me more than you." She teased cruelly.

I gritted my teeth in anger. "Fuck you!" I snapped.

Melinda giggled. "You are a dumbass! It's not my fault you'll never be adopted. You'll just rot here forever." She taunted. "Who would want you? Some stupid foreign bitch. No wonder your parents left you, they left you because you were born." Her words were extremely harsh and cruel.

"Go fuck yourself." I said in a low voice.

Melinda balled up her fists. "Wanna to fight me?" She gave me a aggressive look and took a menacing step towards me.

I smiled slightly. Now my plan went into motion. I then pretended to be scared and ran off to the thick forest that surrounded the yard. No one was paying attention to this shockingly.

Melinda eagerly chased after me. She shouted out cocky taunts and brutal insults at me. "Don't be scared now, Mercy. You were tough shit before, why are you acting scared now?" She mocked.

When I am deep enough in the forest, I stopped in my tracks and dove into nearby bushes.

Melinda was shouting out for me. I heard cruel laughter as she made it up to the bush I was hiding in. Then I striked. I leaped out of the bushes and I tackled the girl without giving her second to react. Immediately I wailed on her with hurricanes of hard fists. I was on top on her, I banged her head into the ground. Melinda struggled violently against me. She was a worthy opponent, I'll admit. She nearly managed to knock me off of her. I slammed my fist on Melinda's throat, damaging her windpipe. She released out a sickening cry and coughed violently.

Melinda still struggled violently. I wrapped my fingers around her throat. I smiled wickedly as her eyes became wide with fear. For once this cocky little brat was finally meeting Alanna Petrov! I squeezed the girl's throat. Melinda turned a shade of purple. Her eyes become bloodshot red. Her hands pierced into my skin, desperately trying to pry me off of her.

But her efforts are fruitless. I strangled the girl for a long period of time, she became limp as she struggled to cling to life. I looked her directly in the eyes as I did. "Aw, Melinda. I guess this is the end of your story. Too bad, you will never be adopted." I teased callously.

I laughed at her terror. She looked like a pitiful animal with her glassy eyes. She couldn't utter out words and vocalized out pitiful cries. I squeezed Melinda for a good few minutes. I watched the life seeping out of her eyes. I released my grip on her throat. I laid my head on her chest to check for breathing. I smiled with glee when I hear nothing.

"YES!" I rejoiced. I gazed Melinda's lifeless body. With pride in my chest, I left the girl in the snowy forest and hurried back to the playground.

I was not noticed by anyone amazingly. I felt so in control right now. Like no one could touch me.

I hurried to find Alyona and Trinity. I found them in the art room.

"Hey." I seized their attention.

"Mercy!" Alyona was overflowing with happiness and ran to me. She embraced me sweetly. I was charmed by this moment. It made the murder I just committed seemed surreal. I didn't feel remorse for what I did. Melinda deserved it. I just wished her death was more graphic and agonizing.

I embraced my beloved child lovingly.

It was an hour later when the Sisters discovered that Melinda was missing. Apparently she somehow managed to sneak out of detention and outside. The supervision here is pathetic!

"Has anyone seen Melinda?" Sister Jane demanded frantically.

All of the girls became worried and some aided the Sisters looking for Melinda. Jessica and her clique also looked.

I pretended that I cared and I helped the search with Alyona and Trinity.

"Where do you think she went?" Trinity asked.

I shrugged my shoulders.

We walked through the corridor and Alyona peeked inside the rooms. I felt happiness by all of this. I felt confidence. Melinda was rotting in the ground and no one knew.

I smiled at the thought of her lifeless body rotting in the snow.

"Why are you smiling?" Trinity demanded. I looked her, unable to control my smiling. Trinity was baffled by my behavior. Fear and doubt filled her eyes.

"Mercy, this is serious! This isn't a joke!" Trinity rebuked. "Melinda is missing!"

"That's good, Trinity." I urged in a soft voice. "Melinda will never mess with us anymore!" I extended out my hand to put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Trinity took a cautious step away from me.

Trinity became teary eyed. "No, Mercy. I didn't like Melinda either. But she's missing. We need to be serious!"

I was impulsive. "Trinity," I slowed my voice down so she could comprehend what I was saying. "Melinda is gone. We can have peace now."

Trinity began to tremble. "M..Mercy, did...did..you do something to her?" She stuttered out. Trinity's eyes are wide with fright. She braced herself in case I attack her.

I continued to be gentle and soft spoken. "No." I lied. "Melinda probably just ran away. She'll be fine."

Trinity lowered her eyes to the floor. She seemed very uncomfortable. She staggered away from me. "I'm going to help Alyona." She informed me. Trinity hurried after Alyona, leaving me behind.

I felt my heart break. Trinity is visibly disturbed by me. I stomped my foot in anger. "Damn!" I muttered. I wanted to kick myself for being so dumb. Why did I say all of that? I desperately wished that I could turn back time.

My worst fear hit me like a pile of bricks. "She will tell Alyona!" I gasped. No! I couldn't bear it if BOTH of my daughter fear me.

I pulled my hair in frustration. "You are an idiot!" I scolded myself. "A fuck up! Well done, Alanna!" I felt tears filling up in my eyes.

I needed to prevent Trinity from confiding to Alyona. Alyona is currently the only one that trusts me wholeheartedly. I bolted down the corridor after Alyona and Trinity. I ran into Trinity first. She was right behind a oblivious Alyona.

"Trinity!" I called out. Trinity swirled around with massive eyes and shrieked.

Alyona turned around to the commotion. "What's wrong? Have you found Melinda?" Alyona asked.

"No." I admitted. I grabbed Trinity's clammy hand tightly. "We need to talk." I told Trinity. Trinity protested by yanking her hand away. Hurt brewed inside of me. I nearly cried when she did that.

Trinity backed away from me. The look in her eyes was sheer terror. She knows that something is wrong with me. That I am dangerous. I opened my mouth to say something when Sister Wanda appeared.

I heard her talking on her cell phone to the authorities. Wanda was pacing around aimlessly as she spoke. "Yes...yes...her name is Melinda Powers. Yes….yes…"

Sister Wanda didn't notice us. She paced downstairs and continued to talking.

Trinity began to weep. "Melinda is missing!" She wept.

Alyona appeared shaken.

I pretended to be sad for Alyona. "I'm sure she's around." I reassured her.

Afterwards an Amber Alert was issued. Eventually police swarmed the area, searching for Melinda. I was overwhelmed with anxiety. I made sure to evade the cops in fear of looking suspicious.

Melinda's corpse was found fairly quickly. Her body was still fresh and was discovered buried in the snow. Detectives swiftly confirmed foul play and launched an investigation. The Nuns were gradually questioned and many suspected the local pedophiles. No one suspected me and I was overjoyed. No one recalled seeing me or reported me.

But my joy is short lived. Trinity has seen the real me and promptly didn't want anything to do with me. She even moved out of the dorm and would never interact with me. She even dismissed Alyona because she would still cling to me.

I hated that our friendship is over. I still cared about Trinity on a emotional level. But if she wished to have nothing to do with me, I will respect her wishes. Alyona is the only one that still made me happy. So I was fixated on my last daughter.

 _ **Next chapter. Mercy struggles to cope with Trinity abandoning their friendship. I am writing Infection and other stories, so please be patient and leave reviews.**_


	18. Trinity

December gave way to a snowy January. During my stay here in Saint Amorettes, many drastic things has occurred. I have long failed to charm the Jackson couple and no couple has arrived since.

I was able to evade suspicion of Melinda's death. For a long time, the other girls has stopped taunting and bullying me and Alyona. Jessica has made the effort to move out of her dorm to stay away from me.

Unfortunately Trinity is ignoring my existence. Worst of all, Trinity was ignoring Alyona's existence as well. I sat inside, overcasted with anxiety over never meeting my future family. I am full of hurt because of Trinity's rejection. I can't blame her for not wanting anything to do with me. I should have been discrete with her.

Only Alyona's presence kept me happy. I focused all of my attention and affections onto her.

Upon seeing the fresh fallen snow of winter, I convinced Alyona to go outside with me to build a snowman. I waited by the door, dressed in warm clothing, my hands are snuggled with thick mittens.

Sister Jane stood outside by the door, monitoring the children on the playground. After Melinda's death, the supervision improved. The Sisters now watched the children like hawks.

Alyona arrived downstairs in a light brown coat. Her mittens are black as night. Her raven hair is tied into a side braid.

"Come on, Alyona." I urged her in a soft voice. Alyona walked over to me briskly, she buttoned up all of her dark buttons on her coat.

When we came outside, I am amazed by how beautiful the landscape was. Melinda's death led the Orphanage gaining a fence to split the playground from the thick forest. I saw Trinity with her new group of friends. She was playing on the monkey bars, chattering and giggling with her friends.

It hurt my heart that I lost another child. First it was Blake, then Hope, Monica, and now Trinity.

"Mercy," Alyona seized my attention. Alyona began to constructively build the snowman. I assisted Alyona and we both complete the snowman in several minutes.

"Wow! It looks great!" Alyona expressed.

I decided to grab dark rocks from the ground and put them on the snowman for eyes. Alyona proceeded to gather up tiny pebbles and put them into the snowman to form a smile. "I'll get some sticks." Alyona stated. She then gathered up two long sticks. She planted the sticks into the side for arms.

Alyona smiled beautifully at it. She was amazed by our little art project. "Awesome!" Her sweet accent was adorable to hear. I then heard the bouncing of a ball. I turned my head to see Trinity playing with volleyball with her friends. I can't help but feel betrayed.

I protected Trinity and treated Trinity with kindness and affection. Now she broke off her relationship with me. She just dismissed our relationship at the top of the hat. I comforted her, cuddling her like a teddy bear when she was scared. I protected her from her tormentors. But the worst of all was her treatment of Alyona. How dare she dismiss Alyona's friendship? I did hate how our relationship turned out. I honestly did want to resolve our issues and rekindle our relationship. She and Alyona were my sun in this bleak place. I had Alyona, but I didn't have Trinity. I desperately wanted the other half.

I considered walking over to Trinity and talk to her. But before I could take one step towards her, Trinity caught a glimpse of me and fear was smeared upon her face. Her lips began to quiver. I decided to turn away and stayed by Alyona.

It was apparent that Trinity was terrified of me. She knew what I was capable of. Trinity kept a fair distance from me.

I exhaled in dismay at my failure. Then I turned to Alyona. Alyona seemed to have sensed my downhearted mood. "Mercy, do you want to go to the art room?" She offered sweetly.

I smiled at this moment. I admired this quality about her. I didn't have to use words to express how I was feeling. She just knew.

I nodded my head. Then we both walked side by side inside and to the art room. Alyona and I sat at the easel with our paints and paintbrushes. Content in each other presence, we began to paint and sketch. Time healed the pain I received from Trinity's coldness. "Mercy, look!" Alyona nudged me gently.

"Look at mine." She begged. I looked at her and my heart fluttered with bliss. It was a painting of me and Alyona together standing side by side. In the background is a tiny brown house with a beautiful, sunny sky and a green landscape. Her painting is amazing, mine was a simple rose, but Alyona's was vivid and detailed.

"That is beautiful, Alyona. You are really talented." I complimented. Alyona beamed. I analyzed her art and I learned the meaning of it.

Alyona and I are close knitted, Alyona even attempted to share the same room as me, but wasn't allowed to because another girl already booked the dorm. During our time together, we became inseparable. Where I went, she went. So it made sense that she desired to be adopted with me. She obviously treasured our friendship. I was her only friend.

Personally I wouldn't mind if Alyona was adopted with me, even though it is highly unlikely. Me and Alyona has different goals about adoption. But I don't want to dampen this sweet girl's spirits. "One day, we will get adopted together." I reassured her.

Alyona gave me a happy smile in response.

Then Alyona asked me about Trinity. "Why doesn't Trinity talk to me and you anymore?" She inquired.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know." I lied. "She's probably just upset."

Alyona took on a somber look. "I tried to talk to her. But she just told me to go away!" She lamented.

I frowned at that. Anger filled me to the brim. Trinity could disrespect and dismiss ME all she liked, but Alyona should not be mistreated. Alyona, a sweet and shy little angel that I saw as my own flesh and blood. I felt my instincts boiling inside of me. A mama bear's basic instinct is to protect her cubs.

I still had lingering hope that Trinity would come back to me and Alyona and we would be friends again. But honestly I do not see that happening.

"Did she hurt your feelings?" I asked.

Alyona swiftly shook her head. "No. But she's really upset about something and she won't talk about it." Alyona explained.

I put a comforting hand on Alyona's shoulder. "She'll be fine." I reassured her.

Alyona looked at me with a smile. She trusted my words wholeheartedly. "Yeah, you're right." She said softly.

Me and Alyona ate among ourselves at lunchtime. We were served stale spaghetti and bitter tasting apple juice.

"This is so gross!" Alyona complained bluntly. I chuckled lightly at that comment. I liked how blunt and honest Alyona could be.

After lunchtime, me and Alyona were making our way to the art room to bond again, when we entered, Addison and Trinity were planted in me and Alyona's chairs.

"Trinity?" Alyona gasped. Trinity's head swirled around to Alyona and her eyes flooded with fright upon seeing me.

"Mercy!" She shrieked. Addison appeared perplexed to her new friend's behavior. Alyona was oblivious and waved cordially at Trinity, she desperately wanted to talk to her and be friends with her again.

"What's wrong, Trinity? Why won't you talk to me or Mercy?" She demanded.

Trinity narrowed her eyes, becoming annoyed, her eyes avoided me and was directed at Alyona. "Leave me alone!" She cried. "Both of you! Just leave me alone!"

Alyona flinched with hurt, tears swelled up in her eyes. "But...Trinity, why?" She said in a small voice. I balled up my fists in frustration. I hated how Trinity was treating Alyona. Alyona doesn't deserve this!

"Do not talk to her like that!" I rebuked. My voice was strict and sharp, like a Mother yelling at her disrespectful child. My eyes locked onto Trinity with intensity. Trinity looked like a deer in headlights and bit her lower lip.

"She said leave her alone!" Addison broke in. She glared at me as she defended her new friend. "Go away or I will tell one of the Sisters on you!" She threatened.

I stood there, boiling with anger and resentment. Alyona, who was a passive soul, nudged me gently. "Let's just go." She said.

"No!" I hissed. I would not let Alyona be disrespected like this! Not my sweet daughter! At this moment, I wanted to punish Trinity for her betrayal. I did not want to kill her, I still cared for her on a emotional level, but I felt like I was obliged to discipline her.

I pointed a stern finger at her with a grave expression on my face. "Do not speak to Alyona like that ever! She is trying to be nice and you are acting like a petulant child! Enough!" I scolded sharply.

Addison rolled her eyes impudent. "Shut up, Mercy! Who do you think you are? You're not the boss of anyone! Go away or I will tell on you!" She seethed.

I took a angry step closer to this brat, I was tempted to smack the shit of her. Trinity then began to cry.

I opened my mouth to say something, but Alyona grabbed my wrist and kept me in place. "Stop it!" Alyona cried. "Just let's just go before we get in trouble!" Alyona said. This time I listened to her, I did not want one of the Sister to come in here and see me act like this. Me and Alyona hurried out of the art room and into the Day room. I heard Trinity's soft sobs emanating from the art room.

I was offended. I felt so disrespected from her rejection. How dare she dismiss Alyona? Alyona was trying to help her sorry ass and this is how she repaid us?! With coldness, prolonging silence, with disrespect, with dismissive behavior? I protected this child, pampered her, comforted her, and loved her with all of the love in my heart. Alyona was sweet to her, empathic towards her feelings and attempted to talk to her.

I was resolved to punish her. As of now, I had no plan on how. Like I said before, I had no desire to kill her. But I wouldn't mind if I broke a bone or two. I wanted to give her a punishment that she will remember and look back on for the rest of her life.

I thought of Addison and I instantly hated her. Jessica was bad enough. But she's smart, she doesn't fuck with me or Alyona anymore. But Addison was now my new enemy.

I plotted how to punish Trinity. I considered beating her black and blue. Any kind of injury would satisfy.

For two straight days, I kept a keen eye on Trinity from the shadows. I made sure to keep myself hidden, I was like a snake lurking around it's oblivious prey.

I developed an idea quickly and I waited for the perfect moment to execute it.

Trinity kept close to her friends. She was cautious, I would see glimpses of her uneasy expression. Her nervous eyes darted to every direction. Trinity seemed to maintain a piece of innocence bliss when she was with her new friends.

"Mommy must punish her little one." I whispered to myself. My voice is filled with sorrow. Then a switch turned on in my mind. I then made the decision to talk to Trinity. I wanted to give her one last chance. One chance to reform herself and be my sweet daughter again.

I pushed my plan into the back of my mind. I proceeded the day as normal. It was a snowy Friday, I finished all of my classwork and I was preparing to get ready for dinner time. I gazed at the clock as I collected my textbooks.

I heard whispering behind me. I didn't pay attention to it at first, until I heard the name, "Mercy." I turned my head swiftly to see Addison and a couple of other girls talking among themselves. Addison shot me a bitter glare. "What?" She hissed.

I shot her a glare back. I needed to control myself.

"Mind your own business!" Addison fumed. I wanted to smack the shit out of this brat. I summoned all of my self control to restrain myself.

Then it was time to go, Sister Jane announced that it was dinnertime and the children hurried out of the classroom. I am the last one out and Sister Jane stopped me in my track.

"Mercy, Sister Wanda wishes to speak to you?" She asked me. I felt a pit in my stomach. My mind raced with anxiety. My heartbeat intensified.

I kept calm and followed Sister Jane to Sister Wanda's office. Sister Wanda was typing on her computer at her desk. I sat down in a chair in front of the desk.

"Sister Wanda," She seized her attention away from the computer. Sister Wanda's hardened eyes locked onto mine. "Mercedes, I have heard very concerning complaints about you." Sister Wanda informed me sternly.

My palms become sweaty. My mind raced and considered the worst.

I had on a meek expression, hoping I would charm my way out of this. "Sister Wanda, I haven't done anything." I denied.

Sister Wanda gave me a skeptical look. "Mercedes, Trinity has come to me and told me that you are messing with her."

I gasped slightly. Hurt brewed through me. I also felt indignant.

"Is there something wrong?" Sister Wanda probed.

I shook my head. "No. Trinity stopped talking to me and Alyona. She is being so mean to me." I mustered up tearful eyes for pity.

"I am sorry, Mercedes. But sometimes friendships has fallouts. Make new friends and leave Trinity alone." Sister Wanda advised.

I hung my head down. "I will." I said plainly. My heart is still racing. I'm not in trouble, but Trinity still betrayed me. She was inching away from her last chance.

I was escorted out of the office and I was ordered to go down to the messhall.

I paced down to the messhall and on my way, I saw Trinity walking down the hallway from the bathroom.

This time I decided to approach her. We were both alone. Everyone is in the messhall. I hurried to her and without a word I grabbed her wrist. Trinity gasped sharply in response and tugged against my grip. "Let me go!" She cried.

"I want to talk." I said bluntly. Trinity was pale as snow, her entire body became stiff as a statue. I was afraid she would scream out for help, but she doesn't. I dragged the scared girl into the downstairs playroom. There was no one in there and I hauled the girl to the couch. Trinity began to struggle against me, trying desperately to pry me off of her.

"Let me go!" She began to weep softly to herself. I tossed the girl onto the couch and she laid on her back. She became rigid with fright and grabbed a pillow. She held it in front of her face as if it was a shield from the beating she believed I would give her.

Every second, I was losing patience. I grew more and more frustrated. I composed myself and made sure my voice was soft and gentle. I sat next to her with a sweet smile on my innocent face. "Trinity, I just want to talk to you." I told her. I put a ginger hand on her shoulder.

Trinity was not comforted at all. She began to trembling uncontrollably. "Stop...stop...please.." She begged.

I took my hand away and simply smiled at her. "I want us to be friends again. I promise things will be different. Me, you, and Alyona were best friends. It hurts that you are just not talking to me anymore." I told her.

Trinity shook her head swiftly, her face still covered by the pillow. I became upset. I grabbed the pillow and yanked it out of her grip. Trinity's face was full of terror. I was losing my temper and I began to shake with anger.

"Enough! I am getting sick and tired of you being mean to me and Alyona!" I rebuked.

Trinity began to cry harder. I was getting angry now. I had no sympathy at this point, just frustration. I narrowed my eyes and my voice became sharp. "Stop crying!" I hissed. Trinity buried her face with her hands.

I balled up my fists. "Why are you avoiding me, Trinity?" I commanded.

Trinity's lips quivered. "Because...because...you are…" Trinity's eyes bulged with fright and her voice drifted off.

I raised my voice to establish my authority. "What, Trinity?" I snapped. Trinity trembled fearfully, she attempted to slip off of the couch, but I swiftly snatched her arm to stop her.

"Mercy!" She whined.

I gritted my teeth. "You are really pissing me off, young lady!" I snarled. "You are being so rude right now. You are being so mean to me and Alyona!"

"I...don't want to be friends with you!" Trinity squeaked out. "I don't want to be friends with you or Alyona! Let me go!"

I tightened my grip. "Shut up!" I commanded.

"Why are...you doing this, Mercy?" Trinity pleaded in a pitiful voice.

"I want us to be friends!" I insisted. Trinity then became bold. She launched a defensive punch with her free hand and socked me in the nose.

I was completely blindsided. I did not expect Trinity's attack. I lost my grip and I jerked back in my seat.

Trinity threw herself off the couch, when she has one foot on the floor, she clumsily stumbled to the floor.

Trinity scrambled to her feet, I recovered from the punch and I pinned her down with my weight. Trinity struggled violently against me. "Get off of me!" Trinity wailed.

Finally I had enough. At this point, there is no chance of us rekindling our relationship. I gave into my violent thoughts. I hopped off the girl and scurried to the door. I closed it and locked it behind me. I smiled wickedly at Trinity who was staring at me full of horror. She was still on the floor, looking stupid.

I hurried to her, flipped her over to her back, and immediately began to batter her viciously.

I punched her in the windpipe, causing her to utter out a sickening sound. I slammed my hand on her mouth to muffle out a scream. I grabbed her little throat and I proceeded to bang her head onto the floor violently.

Trinity began to cry again. I smacked her across the face with all of my strength. One..two...three..four...five..I kept cracking this brat across the face over and over again. Every slap is harder and sharper than the first. I only stopped because my hand was aching with pain from the force I inflicted onto her.

"You think you can betray like this!" I hissed. "You are sadly mistaken!" I voiced out all of my feelings to her. All the pain. All the heartbreak. All of the misery she inflicted on me and Alyona.

"I protected you!" With a twinging hand, I smacked her again. "I loved you. I cared for you! You were my best friend. I treated you with all of the kindness and devotion in the world. I comforted you when you cried in your sleep. I consoled you when you had nightmares. Who protected you, Trinity? Was it the Sisters? NO! Was it your parents that abused you? No! It was ME! Me! I protected you and treasured our friendship more than anything! And you, YOU took all of that away! You rejected me, betrayed me, hurt me, and completely dismissed all of the things I did for you!" I tightened my grip on her throat as I expressed my frustrations. "Melinda and Jessica were making your life hell! I protected you from them and this is the thanks I get. I get a pitiful little weasel! Alyona! Alyona was kind to you. She wanted to talk to you and be friends with you and you treated her like trash!" I watched Trinity's skin turned a shade of purple. I still did not want to end her life, I am afraid that I would be caught red handed. I loosened my grip and slapped her again. Her cheeks were painfully red.

"How dare you reject me?" I snarled. "I loved you! I loved you and cared for you!" I released the petrified girl. Trinity laid on her back, stiff and limp. She was too scared to move at this point. I towered over the helpless girl with a wicked grin. "Watch out, bitch. If I ever see your face again, you will end like Melinda!" I threatened.

I glared at her. "Do not tell a soul about this!" I grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her upright roughly. I slapped her across the face with my free hand. "Do not tell anyone about this!" I commanded.

"Because if you do, the Sisters will be burying you! Melinda will have a new roommate if you tell on me! If you like living, you keep your mouth shut!" I threatened darkly.

Then I released her and slammed her head onto the floor with all of my strength. Trinity wept heavily to herself. I hurried to the door and unlocked it. I exited the room and left the weeping brat by herself.

I returned to the messhall and I sat by Alyona. I acted as if nothing happened.

After dinnertime, it was one hour before bedtime. I headed to my dorm when I caught a glimpse of Trinity. I smiled at all of the misery I inflicted on her. She took my threat to heart, she had a thick scarf wrapped around her neck to hide the red finger marks on her throat. Her face was slightly blooming with bruises. Her golden hair covered her face. Trinity isolated herself and did not approach any of her friends or the Sisters.

Trinity spilled into her dorm and I proudly sauntered into mine. I slept like a baby that night. Confident that Trinity would not spill a word about the trauma I inflicted on her.

After that day, Trinity was dead to me. I never tried to approach the girl again. The girl meant nothing to me. Only Alyona mattered to me. For several days, Trinity's entire personality drastically changed. She became withdrawn, she faded into the background. Trinity became taciturn, rarely speaking to others and avoided her friends and all interactions with her peers.

Even when I am not around, Trinity still feared me. I lurked inside her psyche. I am her nightmare that she wakes up screaming from.

I felt proud. I felt justice and pride brewing within me. Trinity asked for this mistreatment. I gave her a chance and she blew it! Now she is dead to me.

Alyona became my primal focus. Eventually Trinity became a distant memory. Me and Alyona grew closer and closer as the weeks progressed.

It was on February the first when me and Alyona met Alyssa Green. It was a normal day at first. Me and Alyona was painting in the art room when Alyssa unexpectedly entered the room.

Alyssa was a young woman in her early thirties. She was quite pretty with her flowing cinnamon hair, her vibrant brown eyes, her body figure was curvy and slender.

She approached us with interest. Me and Alyona were both painting. Alyona was painting an adorable picture of a little ducklings following their Mother in a light blue pond. I was painting a picture of my deepest desires. I sketched out a painting of me with a handsome man. We stood side by side in a lush garden blooming with flowers. The sky is blue and clear. I'm dressed in a pastel pink dress, I wore my hair curly and flowy, my eyes shimmered brightly. The man towered over me, I designed my man to be handsome and chiseled, his hair is chestnut brown and curly, his eyes are blue as a cornflower. We were both smiling, frozen in lovely bliss.

Alyssa squealed and made me swirl around. Alyona turned her head slightly.

"Hello, girls. My name is Alyssa Green. How are you?" She was brewing with confidence. Her face is bright and her voice is cheerful.

Alyona gave her shy look. "Um…." She muttered.

I put on a charming smile. I saw her as a potential parent to adopt me. I anticipated that she had a husband or a boyfriend that I would swoon.

"My name is Mercedes, but most people call me Mercy." I said politely. Alyona sat in the background. I glanced at her briefly. I remembered our conservation from months ago. I did treasured this child and I wanted her to be around me as long as possible.

"This is Alyona. She's my friend." I wrapped my arms around Alyona sweetly. To charm Alyssa any further, I planted a light kiss on Alyona's forehead. I was like a loving big sister to Alyona at that moment.

Alyssa was beaming, smiling ear to ear. I knew that I have peaked her interest.

"Pleasure to meet you both." Alyssa said softly.

I smiled broadly. "Thank you." I chirped.

Alyssa was completely interested in us. I felt pride as I got this woman hooked. I wanted to know everything about her. Personally I was indifferent to this woman, if she adopts us and she has a male at home, she will be on my chopping list.

Alyssa was eager to learn more information on us. "So tell me about yourselves." Alyssa proceeded to sit in a chair and gazed at us.

I was the first to talk. "I came from Estonia." Alyssa's eyes lit up with enthusiasm. "Wow!" She gasped excitedly.

I kept going. "I really like art," I gestured to my painting. Alyssa was engrossed in my painting. "That is amazing!" She beamed.

Then Alyssa looked at Alyona. Alyona evaded eye contact with Alyssa. She was still a shy girl when she was around strangers. I nudged Alyona. "Come on, don't worry. She won't bite." I reassured her.

Alyona looked at me for confidence. Her lips quivered. "My name is Alyona. I….I….came from Russia." Alyona croaked out.

Alyssa was on cloud nine. She was just enthralled by us. "I love your ACCENTS!" She squealed happily.

I smiled charmingly. This woman was easily impressed. She seemed like a high spirited individual. A person that is easily swayed by her emotions and interests.

"Well I'm from Florida. I moved here several years ago." Alyssa told us. She gave us a pleasant grin. "Your paintings are lovely. Both of you." She complimented.

Then her expression became soft. "Um...I could ask you why you two are here?"

I was beaming on the insides about this question. I decided to use my Sullivan sob story and Mercy's origins.

I made sure my eyes are tearful, my voice is soft and sorrowful. "My Mommy was very mean to me," I mustered up pitiful tears. Alyssa is attentively listening.

I kept going. "All I always wanted to have a happy, loving family! I...I...was adopted by this nice family." My voice became light. "I had many sisters that were so nice to me. I had a Mommy who loved me and a Daddy who was very sweet to me. I had two little sisters that I would play with every single day." I made sure to make my story lighthearted and happy. "Then…..." I pretended to act like I was struggling to utter out my next word. "I…..I…" Tears rolled down my cheeks. Alyssa began to look uncomfortable, but was still attentive.

"They died. There was a house fire and….only me and my baby sister got out!" I wept. Alyssa became emotional, she covered her mouth with her hands. "Oh my god…." She groaned.

"My little sister was taken away. I was so sad when no one came for me. I still don't understand why they didn't come for me!" I wailed pitifully.

I wept to myself softly and Alyssa embraced me warmly. I knew that I had this woman wrapped around my finger.

Then she turned to Alyona. "You?" Her voice was uneasy.

Alyona lowered her eyes to the floor. "I….I... personally don't want to talk about it." She objected. Alyssa seemed embarrassed that she asked. "I am so sorry!" She gasped.

I kept up the energy in the air. "Are you here to adopt?" I said stupidly. Alyssa nodded eagerly. "Yes." A massive grin formed in her face. "In fact I think I found my matches." Her eyes glanced to me and Alyona.

I squealed out of genuine joy. "Yes! Thank you!" I rejoiced. Alyona is beside herself, she has a shocked expression. "Wow." She breathed.

Alyssa then got up. "Now I need to talk to someone." She told us. Then she left.

I was bursting with joy. I embraced Alyona and I spun the little girl around happily. "We did it!" I cheered. I released a stiff Alyona. "We….are getting adopted." She mouthed.

I nodded. "Yes! Together!" I squealed. I rustled her hair gingerly. "Honey, we can be a family now." I gave her light kiss in the cheek. "I love you, Alyona."

I felt nothing but euphoria. I was delighted that Alyona would be with me. My treasured daughter. I have lingering disbelief about what happened. It was so fast and short. I barely knew a thing about this woman. I didn't know if she has a boyfriend or a husband I could steal or a small child I could adopt.

But for now, I had a home and Alyona will be with me.

The paperwork took several weeks, Alyssa would visit me and Alyona twice a week. I learned a few things about her. Unfortunately she was a single woman living by herself. She had no children and worked as a hairstylist.

The only positivity I could put in this situation is that she will get a boyfriend in the future. She's very pretty and attractive. I'm positive men constantly try to get her phone number.

Finally! I have hooked myself to a home that I could make my own in the future.

 _ **In next chapter, Alyona and Alanna are visited by a woman seeks to adopt.**_

 **I am currently writing The Avenging and my other stories. The Infection is going to take longer because of my writer block, so read my other stories and leave reviews and thoughts on them.**


	19. Broken

It was in early January when we finally officially adopted by Alyssa Green. I was now Mercedes Green and Alyona was Alyona Green. I gathered up my suitcases with all of my dresses and makeup. I collected my journal and Bible and kept close to Alyona. Alyona was painfully shy, her cheeks were reddish.

"I still can't believe this is happening." Alyona muttered.

I smiled at her. "Isn't it great?" I chirped. I was in high spirits. Nothing was able to dampen my mood.

I clasped Alyona's clammy hand. Alyona voiced out her concern. "I just hope this woman is really nice. I hope she STAYS nice and doesn't be mean to us."

I embraced the girl warmly. "Everything will be fine." I reassured her.

"Alyona, Mercedes, time to go." Sister Wanda appeared in the doorway with a beaming Sister Jane.

Me and Alyona's hands are glued together as we walked to them. Sister Jane embraced us lovingly. "We will miss you two!" She rejoiced happily.

I nearly chuckled at that comment. From Trinity's beating, the theft, and Melinda's murder, my absence was highly beneficial to everyone's health. I loved the irony here.

Then we are escorted to Alyssa's silver sedan. We placed our suitcases in the trunk and sat in the backseat. The car had this nice aroma of vanilla. Alyona was dressed nicely, she was smiling ear to ear. "Welcome, home, girls."

It was thirty minutes drive to our new home. It was a two story house in a affluent neighborhood. It was made out of brick and wide.

Alyssa helped us with our bags and led us inside. It was very simple and fair in the house. Nothing major or extreme. The house had three bedrooms. One for me, one for Alyona, and the other is for Alyssa.

My bedroom was fair sized with a double sized bed with plain blankets and sheets. I had a dresser with a mirror and a small closet.

I explored the house by myself. It was quite small and cramped.

"I hope you like it here!" Alyssa called out from downstairs.

"I do!" I shouted back. I sat in my bedroom, pondering about my future. I anticipate that Alyssa would find a man that I can woo. I felt great anxiety, if she doesn't find a lover. my presence here is useless! I wished she had a small child, but Alyona will do for now. I saw Alyssa excitedly texting her phone. I heard her mumbling to herself. "Mommy just got her little princesses."

I frowned. At that moment, I realized me and Alyona were props for her ego.

When nighttime came, I slept in my bed soundly. Then I jolted awake from Alyona's shrill screams. I sprinted out of bed like a madwoman and darted to her bedroom. I found the small child swimming in her sheets. I smelled a powerful odor roaming in her room.

I hurried over to Alyona's side and the odor became stronger and stronger. Then I looked down at the bed to see a large urine stain Alyona left. The girl was still unconscious, so I gently shook her awake.

"Ah!" Alyona jolted awake with a brief shriek. I embraced the anxious girl with comforting arms. "It is okay, Alyona. It is okay." I whispered kindly.

I gave her kiss on the forehead. I even began to sing the Glory of Love to soothe her. My voice was gentle and sweet. "Calm down. Calm down." I said.

Alyona pulled away with me with a red face. She glanced at the stain and appeared mortified. "Oh no.." She whined. Alyona hurried to grab a fresh pair of clothes and went into the bathroom. She returned to the room within a minute. She was red in the face with embarrassment.

I remained calm. "Don't worry, let's get the sheets and wash them. You can sleep in my bed." I told her.

Obediently, Alyona obeyed. I helped her gather the urine stained sheets and we both headed to the laundry room. I was the closest to the door when I realized it was half opened. The lights were on and I became curious.

I gestured Alyona to stop. I peeked inside the doorway to see Alyssa in the room.

What I saw still stayed with me to this day.

Alyssa stood in the center of the laundry room, her back to the door. She has a small table in front of her. I smelled a familiar stench. A stench that I recalled seeing during my time as a prostitute and my childhood. I put down the sheets. I watched Alyssa holding a lighter in one hand and a spoon in the other. Alyssa put her the lighter down and retrieved a syringe from the table. I felt time slow down as she proceeded to inject the syringe into her right arm. She made an odd sound that I could only describe as a person breathing sharply through their teeth. I remembered my past at that moment. I never abused drugs, I never saw the point. In fact, I hated drugs. My Mother turned to drugs after my Father had his affairs. From heroin, crack, cocaine, meth, pills, anything she could get her hands on. Many of my clients were drug addicts. The drugs would make them violent and erratic, I can't tell you how many times I've been beaten by them. So to see this made me feel ill.

Alyona tugged on my sleeves to get my attention. Her eyes are pools of confusion. "What is she doing?" She asked me in a soft voice.

I didn't want Alyona to see this. I grabbed her wrist tightly and I proceeded to pull her to the stairs. "She's doing drugs!" Alyona whispered to me. Her voice became sorrowful. "No..no..I thought she would be different." She muttered to herself.

I felt my heart crack. I felt pity for this poor child. I knew very little about Alyona's past. But it was evident she came from bad homes.

Alyona became tearful. "I can't believe this!" She began to weep softly to herself. I took the child into my bedroom and closed the door.

Alyona scurried to my bed and threw herself onto the bed. She wept brokenly into my pillow. I kept calm, still trying to comprehend what I just saw. I never imagined Alyssa to be a drug abuser. She seemed so nice and affluent. Pretty, nice personality, decent job, and decent house. Why use drugs? I am indifferent to this woman, but conventionally she seemed like a adjusted lady.

Alyona's broken sobs hurt my heart. I hated seeing my daughter so downcasted like this. I got on my bed and I comforted Alyona.

Alyona lifted her head from the pillow, her face was fresh as a raindrop. "Why….why…." She mumbled. "I thought she would be different."

I embraced her lovingly and rocked her back and forth. "Everything will be alright." Alyona buried her face in my chest, she wrapped her arms around me. She clung to me like a lifeline.

"I really hoped she was different!" Alyona wept brokenly.

I exhaled. "Calm down, Alyona. You can sleep with me." I told her in a gentle voice. Alyona nodded and I crawled into my bedsheets. Alyona crawled in herself. Her arms are still wrapped around me like a vice. The bed was warm and soft, I felt like a Mother. Alyona trusted me and saw me as a protector.

We both slept peacefully that night despite the horrible discovery. I remembered the urine stained sheets I left, but Alyssa never came upstairs to approach us about it. She was probably too intoxicated to noticed.

In the early morning, Alyssa was locked away in her bedroom. I had to make breakfast for me and Alyona. I stood on a footstool over the oven as I proceeded to make pancakes. Alyona sat patiently and quietly at the table. The pancakes were baking from the heat of the pan. I grabbed a spatula off of the counter and proceeded to carefully flip the pancakes one by one.

I heard Alyssa's footsteps emerging downstairs. Her footsteps are sluggish and slow. I turned off the oven and I turned my head to Alyssa as she emerged into the kitchen. I was disgusted by her mere presence. Her peachy skin was pale and worn out and her eyes had heavy bags. Her hair was disheveled.

"The wonderful works of Social Services." I mocked in my head. You have to admit that me and Alyona were pretty screwed in this situation!

Giving two small children to a drug addict. Ha! I am still shocked that Alyssa is a drug abuser. I remembered how high spirited and bubbly she was when we first met her. She has the youthful appearance of a college student. She has the looks of a model and she is choosing to ruin her life with drugs! But I supposed everyone has a dark side. I found this entire thing extremely ironic. She's a hidden drug abuser and I am a serial killer that is pretending to be a little girl. Safe to say her secret is tamed compared to mine! Ha!

Alyssa sat at the table, her eyes were dilated and her speech was slurred. "M...Morn..Morning…" She croaked.

Alyona avoided eye contact with her. I served the pancakes. One for me, one for Alyona, and one to Alyssa.

Alyona drowned her pancake in syrup. I proceeded to properly cut my pancake into eatable bites. The breakfast is silent, no one speaks to each other.

After breakfast, Alyssa appeared to sober up and went to work, leaving me and Alyona alone.

I was flabbergasted by the recklessness of this woman. At this point, I greatly disliked this woman. I hated drug abusers with a passion. But I really wanted to her to get a boyfriend. I needed to wait and see!

I know what you're saying. Alyona's wellbeing. I do care about that. But my needs matter as well. I know that says selfish, but that's how it is. Alyona has me to care and nurture her. I am all she needs to survive.

"Alyona," I got out of my chair. "I'll run your bathwater." I told her. "Gather up some clothes, honey." I said maternally.

Alyona sat there quietly for a moment. But obedience filled her to the brim. "Okay." She whispered softly. She obeyed me.

I went upstairs to the bathroom and ran the bathwater. I made sure it was at a pleasant temperature. I ran it to a fair amount and stopped the water.

Alyona approached me with handful of clothes in her arms. She smiled at me sweetly and headed into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. I decided that this was a great moment to practice being a housewife. Even though there is no male in this household, when one does come, I will be prepared. I always found the idea of being a housewife wonderfully simple. Cleaning, cooking, caring for the children. That's what I always desired to do. I headed downstairs to wash the dishes one by one with a soapy sponge.

Afterwards, I mopped up the living room floors and kitchen floors until they were spotless. It was an hour later when I am done. Alyona was long finished with her bath and was in her bedroom. I sang the "Glory of Love," as I cleaned.

Once I finished the song I was done mopping. I headed upstairs to fold clothes so I could do laundry. I grabbed the laundry basket that was in the hallway and went into Alyona's room. Alyona was not in her room. I opened her draws and folded her clothes neatly. I put them in the basket and headed downstairs to the laundry room.

I glanced at the dirty sheets I left last night. It reeked with the scent of old urine. Alyssa never even attempted to clean up.

"Stupid, druggy bitch." I mumbled. I swallowed my frustration and put all of the clothes in the washer. I snatched up the sheets and stuffed it into the washer. I turned on the washer and hurried upstairs.

I walked by Alyona's bedroom door and knocked on the door. "May I come in?" I said. Alyona opened the door wordlessly.

"Mercy," Alyona jumped onto her bed, her beautiful eyes locked onto mine. "What should we do about Alyssa? Should we tell someone?" She asked me.

I shook my head. "No."

Alyona raised a unsure eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

I lied through my teeth. "Yes, Alyssa will not hurt us. Plus you have me." I said in a cheerful voice. Alyona doesn't appear convinced.

"But she left us home by ourselves." Alyona pointed out. "She does drugs."

Alyona was a very smart girl, I'll admit. She obviously had good points, but I can't allow the authorities to come and take away my chances of a happy life.

"No, Alyssa is our new Mommy." I insisted stubbornly. Alyona frowned at me. Her eyes narrowed in frustration and indignation. "I don't want her to be my new Mommy!" She protested.

"Officially she is. She is our legal guardian, Alyona." I said in a matter of a fact voice. Alyona lowered her eyes to the floor and gave up.

I didn't like how this conservation ended, so I changed the subject. I forced a smile on my face. "Don't worry, Alyona. You have me." I chirped.

I embraced Alyona tightly. Alyona is stiff. "I know." She muttered.

For several weeks, I adapted to the pattern of life here. This was the very first home where I was homeschooled, so I thankfully didn't have to go to school. Alyssa would never interact with me or Alyona. She was too occupied with work or getting high. Impressively she does a good job hiding her drug abuse in public.

But it was swiftly apparent that Alyssa was not a fit parent. Alyssa went to work and didn't come back to the house. It was on March 27 when everything changed. It was a beautiful day outside, me and Alyona walked through the neighborhood unattended. I wanted to get out of the house. I eventually began to hate the house. Every second of my time here is being wasted.

This bitch still hasn't hooked herself to a man. It was a pleasant day, I saw small children frolicking in their respective yards. An old lady was tending to her beautiful garden. A young boy was playing ball with his dog.

"Hello, girls." I turned my head to see a woman in her late forties named Ms. Mason. She had blonde hair that was slowly graying. She was chubby and wore bright colors.

I waved back sweetly. "Hello." I chirped.

We walked around the neighborhood for two hours straight. It was nearly nightfall when we returned. By this time, the children were inside their secure homes while we're outside unattended.

Ms. Mason saw us from her front porch and was visibly concerned about us. "Girls," She called out.

I turned my head to her and I saw her worried expression. She walked over to us. "Girls, where is your Mother?" She asked.

"She's not home." Alyona answered honestly. Ms. Mason's eyes widened. I then began to panic on the insides. No! NO! This woman is going to call CPS on Alyssa! I came up with a good lie on the spot. "No! No! Our babysitter is in the house. We're not home alone." I said vehemently.

Ms. Mason's brown eyes flashed. "Are you sure?" She questioned.

Alyona gave a odd look. "Mercy…" I shot her a glare to tell her to shut up.

"Yes, Ms. Mason." Then I grabbed Alyona's wrist and whisked her away without another word. I basically sprinted to the house in fear that Ms. Mason would chase after us. I opened the unlocked front door and I dragged Alyona into the house with me. I slammed the door and locked it.

Alyona yanked her hand away from me and gave a confused look. "Mercy! Why did you lie?" She demanded. "Alyssa did leave us alone!"

I remained calm. "Alyona, Alyssa is our new Mommy." I insisted. I do not seek to argue and I changed the subject. "Go upstairs, I'll make dinner." I told her. Alyona still appeared perplexed, but still went upstairs. I headed into the kitchen, struggling to keep my spirits up. I did agree with Alyona. She was right. But my goals of love and family are too much to give up on.

I proceeded to make microwave meals. I heated up two meals. One for me and the other for Alyona.

"Mercy," I heard Alyona call out to me. Then Alyona released out a bloodchilling scream. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHAAAAAHHHHH!" I swirled around to witness Alyona tumbling clumsily down the stairs. I swear everything went into slow motion. I ran to the stairs, but it was too late. I watched Alyona's left ankle violently twist as she tumbled. There was a sickening crack and Alyona's scream pierced the air. Alyona fell on her side on the floor. Alyona is screeching her lungs out, rapid tears ran down her cheeks. "OOOOWWWWWW!" Her ankle was broken like a twig.

"IT HURTS! HELP! HELP!" She shrieked. She was red in the face, gasping through her shrill screams.

I hurried to her side. Alyona held her ankle, struggling to stand up straight. "Alyona! Alyona!" I cried. I struggled to calm myself. I was totally unprepared for this. I can't help my shrill voice. "Alyona, what happened?"

"I FELL! CALL SOMEONE! HELP!" Alyona wailed. I scrambled to my feet and searched frantically for a phone. Alyona's hysterical cries echoed through the house. I scavenged through the house like a madwoman. I began to panic, my anxiety overwhelmed me. "Where is it?" I shrieked. I pulled my hair out of frustration. "WHERE THE FUCK IS THE PHONE?" I screamed to the heavens.

I found nothing. "DAMMIT!" I seethed.

I needed to get someone to help us! I yanked my hair roughly as I contemplated on what to do. But if I tell someone that Alyona is hurt and no one is home, CPS will come over! But Alyona required medical attention! What should I do?

"Alanna, you are a Mother to this child! A Mother must put her child above herself!" I told myself. "You stupid, selfish bitch!"

I exhaled deeply as I decided on what to do. I rushed into the living room and decided to get help. "I'm going to get help!" I shouted out to Alyona. I jerked the front door open and darted out of the house like my hair was on fire. It was nighttime and it was chilling cold.

Then as if on cue, Alyssa's car came into my sight. It was parked in the driveway. I saw Alyssa inside nonchalantly texting on her cell phone. I sprinted to the car and slammed my fists on the door feverishly. Alyssa quickly noticed me and appeared alarmed. She rolled down the car window. "Mercy?" Alyssa mouthed.

I didn't waste a second. "CALL 911! CALL 911! ALYONA IS HURT!" I am so loud. My screaming is heard throughout the neighborhood.

Alyssa attempted to calm me down. "Calm down! Calm down!" She scolded.

But I am beyond hysterical. "ALYONA IS HURT! CALL 911! SHE IS HURT! HURRY!" I screeched. A close by neighbor who heard the commotion poked his head out of his front door. Alyssa saw him and her cheeks became red with embarrassment. Then two more neighbors exits their house to see what was going on. "CALL 911! CALL 911! ALYONA IS HURT!" I kept screaming this repeatedly.

Alyssa rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Mercy!" She spoke through gritted teeth. "Stop screaming! You are embarrassing me! Enough!" She sounded like a immature teenager.

Alyssa exited the car, I watched her in anger as she stuffed her phone into her purse. Alyssa glanced nervously at the neighbors. "EVERYTHING IS FINE!" She shouted out as loud as she could. She then grabbed my wrist and tightened her grip. I quickly began to struggle violently. "LET ME GO!" I shrieked. I pulled and yanked as much as I could. "LET ME GO!" I hollered. I struggled against Alyssa like a fish on a hook. I couldn't control my emotions any longer. Hysterical tears poured down my cheeks like a broken faucet. "ALYONA IS HURT!" I screamed. Alyssa narrowed her eyes angrily as she began to drag me inside.

"NO! NO! NO!" I sniveled. My throat began to give out. All of my screaming damaged my voice. Alyssa is not gentle with me. She shoved me into the house the moment my foot is inside the house. I nearly lost my balance.

I gasped for air breathlessly. Alyona came into my sight. I pointed a stiff finger to her. "ALYSSA! CALL 911!" I shrieked.

Alyssa glared at me. She turned to Alyona who was weeping to herself softly. "Walk it off!" She hissed. With that, she turned her head to me with a icy glare. "YOU EMBARRASSED ME IN FRONT OF THOSE PEOPLE! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?" She rebuked.

Finally I lost my temper. "FUCK YOU!" I yelled. "ALYONA IS HURT!" Then Alyssa proceeded to give me a sharp crack across the face. At this point, I wanted to lash out at this bitch! "WHAT THE FUCK?" I hollered.

"You do not talk to me like that!" Alyssa barked angrily. "TALK TO ME LIKE THAT AGAIN AND YOU WILL LEAVE THIS HOUSE!" She yelled.

I rolled my eyes defiantly. "YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER!" I hollered mortified."ALYONA IS HURT AND YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE NEIGHBORS!"

I wanted to smack the shit out of this bitch! I hated this cunt at this point. I ran to the aid of my child. "ALYONA!" I wrapped my arms around her to comfort her.

Alyssa rolled her eyes and dug up her cell phone from her purse. "Go to your room, Mercy. I will take care of Alyona."

I am stubborn and I do not move an inch. Alyssa narrowed her eyes at me. All the love and sweetness has dissolved in her eyes. I remembered Sarah and how our "loving" relationship turned sour after a few incidents. But shockingly, it took ONE incident to dissolve our relationship.

"Mercy, I need to get her to the hospital." Alyssa hissed. "MOVE!" With that, she marched over to Alyona. She pushed me aside.

Alyssa scooped up Alyona who is shrieking in pain. "OW! OW! STOP! IT HURTS!" She screeched. Alyssa huffed in annoyance and impatience. "Stop crying! GOD!" She whined. Alyona began to heavily sob to herself.

"BE GENTLE WITH HER!" I yelled. I balled up my fists in anger.

"SHUT UP, MERCY! GO TO YOUR ROOM!" Alyssa commanded. I ignored her. Alyssa groaned in frustration as she hobbled out of the house, holding the weeping Alyona in her arms. I followed Alyssa like a shadow. Once she opened the car door, I jumped into the backseat. Alyona was placed in the passenger seat.

"IT HURTS SO MUCH!" Alyona wailed. Her cries were pitiful and miserable. Alyssa, completely annoyed and frustrated at this point, turned on the car and proceeded to turn on the radio.

I listened to the booming music as it pierced my eardrums. I worried about my daughter. I sat in the backseat, secure in my seatbelt. The hospital was two miles away and when we arrived in the parking lot, Alyssa parked the car.

"Out." She ordered. She exited the car and scooped up a wailing Alyona. "IT HURTS! IT HURTS!" She wept.

Alyssa spoke through her teeth as noisy eyes gazed in her direction. "Stop whining! GOD! You need to be quiet!" She fumed.

Alyona couldn't hold in her tears. Alyssa mumbled to herself angrily as she carried Alyona inside. I followed Alyssa behind as we entered the hospital. At this point, I am done with this bitch!

"Me and Alyona's days are numbered here in this household." I vowed to myself in Estonian.

 _ **Chapter will come soon. Still suffering from writer block to write the Infection. Still writing my other popular stories. Give reviews on this story and give your thoughts on the characters.**_


	20. Square One

_**In chapter 19, Mercy's dreams and hopes of Alyssa getting a boyfriend for her to take begins to fade. Alyssa is revealed to be a drug abuser and a neglectful parental figure. Alyona fell down the stairs and gets seriously injured. Mercy begins to grow sick of Alyssa and seeks to remove them both from the household.**_

This was the very first time I ever felt remorse for my actions. I sat in the cold waiting room of the hospital. Alyssa was with Alyona, talking to the doctor about her condition. I was all by myself with my thoughts.

I am a terrible Mother! What Mother puts her child in harm's way? I should have listened to my beloved child about Alyssa! But due to my stubbornness, Alyona is in the hospital.

My hatred for Alyssa grew every second. I dismissed my idea of her getting boyfriend and all I am thinking about now is leaving her household.

I daydreamed to keep myself from unraveling. I felt like I was losing my mind, every nerve inside is screaming out with anxiety.

I wanted Alyssa's blood on my hands. She will regret the day she ever adopted me! I recollected she slapped me. How dare she lay a finger on me?! Alyssa's life was numbered in my mind. I desired to be her maker. I began to imagine myself in the house, alone with Alyssa. Alyona is far away, oblivious to the evil deed I am going to commit. I imagined myself walking into the kitchen, a butcher knife is in my possession now. I traced my finger slightly onto the blade tip. It caused my finger to bleed. I smiled devilishly.

I saw myself approaching Alyssa, the idiotic and naive creature, sees my knife and my prideful expression. I raised the deadly knife into the air and I penetrated the bitch's chest with it. Her blood curdling scream is music to my ears. Her body fell into a pathetic heap, her eyes are glued to the ceiling, frozen in terror. Her warm blood is splattered all over me, screaming for misery. I stood over her lifeless body, brewing with pride. I desired to make that daydream reality.

It was a full hour later when Alyssa came into the waiting room. I got out of my chair and approached her. "Where is Alyona?" I asked.

Alyssa gave me a disgusted look. She was irritated by my mere presence. "She is getting surgery. Doctor said she will have to stay overnight."

I felt my heart shatter. I wanted to kick myself for my stupidity.

Alyssa glared at me. "What did you do?" She demanded accusingly.

I scowled at this bitch full of hatred. "You left us home alone." I made sure to say this loud enough so others could hear.

Curious eyes looked at us and Alyssa became red in the face. She swiftly grabbed my wrist and dragged me out of the waiting room. "Stop embarrassing me!" She whined. I struggled against her, but she managed to drag all the way into the parking lot.

Once we made it to the car, I managed to slip from her grip. Alyssa gave me a icy glare. "Listen, young lady. I am sick of you! You should have been watching your little sister awhile I was gone!" Alyssa hissed. "I had important things to do!"

I refused to be downplayed like this. "No! You left two minors at home and one of them got hurt!" I pointed a bitter finger at her. "It is your fault! You neglected us and you are a horrible parent that should have never adopted!" I snarled. I kept going, my voice becoming cruel and cold. "You know what, you are also a drug abuser. I guess you don't like hospitals, huh?" I sneered. My lips curled up with malice. I wanted to destroy this woman psychologically. "Is it fun when you stick that needle into yourself? I bet being in this parking lot is making you feel uneasy, huh? Afraid the doctors will detect the drugs in your system?"I teased.

SLAP! I am cracked across the face. Alyssa doesn't stop with just one. I am slapped repeatedly. Alyssa glared at me furiously as she slapped me. "You little bitch! How dare you say that to me?" She ...two...three...four...five...six...I managed to jerk myself away to evade the seventh slap.

"When we get home, you will be punished!" Alyssa growled. With that, she spilled into the driver seat and I hesitantly got into the backseat. Alyssa didn't even wait for me to put my seatbelt on and instantly began to drive the moment I closed the backseat door. I dug my nails into the cushion of the seat as the woman began to drive fast through the streets.

Shockingly we were never pulled over and we made it to the house in one piece. Alyssa exited the car the moment she parked, fuming with rage.

"OUT!" Alyssa barked. I rolled my eyes and took my sweet time. Alyssa was not in the mood and jerked my door open. She grabbed my arm and literally yanked me out of the car. Her grip is tightly painful, my nerves began to burn with sharp pain. "OW! STOP!" I pleaded.

"Shut up!" Alyssa hissed. She dragged me inside and shoved me inside. She slammed the door behind her and locked it.

I gritted my teeth, preparing myself for the worst beating of my life. And trust me, this was one of the worst beating of my life. Alyssa swiftly removed her belt. I began to revert into a small child and attempted to run, but Alyssa was nimble. I felt the sharp whip of the belt impact my rear end. I froze there on the spot, Alyssa grabbed my shoulder to keep me in place. She whipped me with great strength. I released a shriek from each agonizing blow. Extreme pain erupted inside me. I fell on my knees and Alyssa did not stop. She began to viciously whip my back. At this point, Alyssa was blinded with rage. Like a rabid predator attacking its prey.

It felt like hours passed when Alyssa finally stopped. At this point, I am bawling my eyes out like a small child. My rear end is burning with intense pain. Alyssa stormed pass me. "GO UPSTAIRS!" She hollered.

I jumped up, my butt twinged. I decided that I should do what she says, I personally did not want another beating.

As I hobbled to the stairs, my homicidal thoughts flooded my mind. "This bitch is going to die." I murmured under my breath. I hurried upstairs and into my bedroom. I contemplated how I end her pathetic life.

I could do it right now. But then I thought of Hope. I feared that Alyona would be taken away from me like Hope. I wanted Alyona to be at home with me. So I decided to bid my time.

Alyona returned home the very next day. She had to get twelve stitches in her ankle and wore a bright red cast. Alyssa left me home alone to pick up Alyona. Alyssa put the injured child in her bed. I stood in Alyona's bedroom. Alyona was drugged with painkillers and was deep in slumber. I watched over her, I was like Mama bear watching over her cub. I heard the front door slam and I knew that Alyssa was going on another outing. I decided that this would be a great time to commit my action. When she returns, I will slay this creature like the worthless piece of shit she is.

I waited for Alyssa's return. Alyssa came back in the early morning. It was a humid Sunday morning, I was already up, I has made Alyona a pancake and was awaiting her to consume her meal so I could give her painkillers. I walked into the kitchen as Alyssa returned home. Ironically she brought a man home. A slim, paunchy man with ebony hair and dark eyes, he was drunk off of his ass and was slumped on the couch. I believed that Alyssa was romantically involved with this man, evidently from all of the red kiss marks on his face. I smiled at my luck. A perfect person to frame for murder. I walked over to the drunk man to see that he was out like a light.

I opened the kitchen drawer and saw the sharpest and deadliest knife I could find.

I looked out the kitchen window and frowned. I couldn't kill her in the forest because the neighborhood had very little woods. So I had to do it inside the house. I didn't want to risk having fingerprints on the knife, so I went down to the laundry room to grab rubber gloves. "This bitch is going to die!" I mumbled under my breath. I hurried back into the kitchen, Alyssa was now in the living room, sitting closely to the drunk man. I saw Alyssa injecting herself with heroin, not even attempting to conceal it anymore.

I decided that the laundry room would be a great place. Swiftly, I walked over to them and saw Alyssa's bag of heroin. I hurriedly grabbed it with my knife concealed behind my back.

Alyssa sprung up into the air and I darted to the laundry room. "MERCY!" I ignored her yelling and dove into the laundry room. I hid behind the door and awaited Alyssa to come.

Eventually the bitch did. She took one fateful step into the laundry room. She was outside the door now, looking for me, her back was to me. Everything about this reminded of me of Rachel. I slammed the door behind me. Alyssa swirled around to see me smiling wickedly at her.

"Mercy…" She said one last time. I sprung into action, revealing my deadly knife. I charged at her, the woman was too stunned to realize what was happening. Alyssa released out a short lived scream. I plunged the knife directly into her chest. I yanked it out and I shoved her to the floor with all of my strength. I stabbed her so fast that she didn't have much to react. I didn't want to risk any more noises, so I ran and retrieved a sock. I jammed it into the weak woman's mouth. "Well, Mommy, do you like my knife?" I said sweetly. With that, the knife met her flesh and I plunged it deeply into her chest. Alyssa released out a long winded muffled scream. I yanked it out and Alyssa screamed again.

The knife met her flesh again and made a satisfying squish as the tip of the blade sank deeply into her body, she released out a agonizing, muffled scream. No one could help us. I looked into her eyes. Terror and helplessness were permanently framed into her wide brown eyes. I twisted the blade in my hands, all the while sinking it deeper and deeper. Her skin was tearing to shreds as the knife rotated, the sound of her muscles and nerves being gouged growing louder. Alyssa erratically squirmed and twisted. She was miserable, heavy tears ran down her cheeks. I jerked it all the way into her back, until the shiny metal had disappeared inside her and the black handle was pushing against her broken skin. Instantly, the sock drowned in her blood that filled her mouth. I smirked, and pulled the blade out of my now deathly white victim. She laid pathetically on her back, convulsing and trembling like a rabid animal and thick. Crimson blood drenched her clothes. The sweet tang of blood tingling in my nostrils.

I relished her terror. I remembered all of my victim's face. Their last moments were all riddled with terror and brutality. Alyssa was now my current victim. I felt powerful, I ceased my stabbing and gazed at her lifeless, bloody body. The once beautiful woman died, her frozen eyes glued to me. I watched life seep from her eyes and smiled.

Now I had to focus on my new course of action. I opened the door of the laundry room and poked my head out. I scanned the hallway and made sure no one was around. Alyona was still healing from her surgery, the man was drunk and unconsciousness. I hurried over to the man and smiled to see that he was still unconscious. Stupid idiot will have a hell of a night when he wakes up.

I found the man attractive, but he was simply a ploy to me. I placed the bloody knife into the palm of his hand gently and slowly. The man must have drunk a lot last night, because he didn't wake up once. For extra measure, I rubbed my bloody dress onto his clothes and skin, painting him with blood. I then went off to clean myself up. I went into the laundry room, I glanced down at my victim's body and felt pride. I stripped out of my drenched clothes and stuffed them into the washer. I hurried into the living room to find the fireplace. It was old and Alyssa never used it. I turned on the fireplace and felt the comforting heat as the wood inside grew ablazed. I tossed the gloves into the fire. I am naked as a bird, all of my deformity is exposed. I felt so uncomfortable being naked. I ran upstairs and into the nearest bathroom. I took a shower that was lasted two minutes. Enough time for me to wash out my bloody hair and skin. I slipped into a innocent white dress with extra youthful makeup. I sprinted to the laundry room to get my dress out of the washer, the blood was gone and I put my dress into the dryer. I washed my bloody shoes with cleaning wipes and I flushed the wipes down the toilet.

I felt confidence brewing within me. The house was dead silent. I headed into my daughter's bedroom. She was still asleep, I didn't further enter her room as I wished her to sleep peacefully. I decided that I needed to play my part. I felt like I was in theater at this point, I ran downstairs and opened the front door. I took a deep breath and pretended to be hysterical and terrified. "HELP! HELP! HELP! HELP! MY MOMMY IS DEAD! MY MOMMY IS DEAD! HELP!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I ran down the streets, my screams pierced the air. Before I came out, everyone was outside, meandering around. Small children frolicked innocently through the streets and their yards. Everything was peaceful until I shattered it. The children stopped and gawked at me. The neighbors appeared worried and alarmed. One fearful Mother grabbed her two sons and dragged them inside.

"CALL 911!" I shrieked. "PLEASE! PLEASE! MY MOMMY IS DEAD!"

I saw Ms. Mason in my line of sight. "MERCY!" She yelled from her front porch. I stopped in my tracks. I made a beeline to her, I made sure I was sobbing heavily. "MY MOMMY IS DEAD!" Ms. Mason's eyes widened with horror. She put a emotional hand over her mouth. "Come inside, Mercy." She said empathically. I spilled inside her house. I made sure I was hysterical and distraught as ever, I dropped to my knees, with broken tears pouring down my face. "My Mommy is dead!" I wept mournfully. Ms. Mason, a very compassionate woman that I did truly like, embraced me warmly. "Calm down, sweetheart." She rocked me back and forth like a baby. She released me and pulled out her cell phone. She instantly dialed 911. "Mercy, sit right there on the couch." She ordered. I nodded and obeyed. I threw myself onto the couch and sat there weeping.

Ms. Mason paced around, talking to the operator. "Yes…..99 Kaine Street...yes...I have her daughter who I believe is adopted….yes….her name is Alyssa Green…." Ms. Mason turned her head to me. "What happened?"

I sniffled as tears rolled down my cheek. "I….I...don't know." My voice was high pitched and distraught. "I…..I…...went looking for Mommy and I found her in the laundry room!" My voice became shrill. "SHE WAS BLOODY! SHE WAS STABBED! SHE BROUGHT THIS MAN HOME AND I….I...THINK HE KILLED HER!" I bawled.

Ms. Mason gave me a compassionate look. She recapped everything I said. "Yes...yes...she had a man over…" Ms. Mason turned to me. "Is he still there?"

I nodded silently.

"Yes. He is still there…..yes….yes…." Ms. Mason questioned me again. "Where is your sister?" She was asking about Alyona.

I cried harder. "She was really hurt from a fall and she can't move! She is still there with him!" I screamed hysterically. "PLEASE SEND THE POLICE! SEND EVERYONE! HE KILLED MY MOMMY!"

Ms. Mason began to tremble out of fright. All of this must be overwhelming for her. I jumped off of the couch and attempted to run to the door. Ms. Mason grabbed my shoulder with her free hand. "NO!" She barked authoritatively. "Stay here!"

I was simply playing up the acting here. I was so proud of myself in this moment. I pretended to fight against Ms. Mason, only to give up after a struggle. I threw myself at the couch again and cried my heart out.

The police arrived within a hour. By then, Ms. Mason did her best to console poor hysterical Mercy. The woman gave me cookies and milk, she even brushed my hair to comfort me. She hugged me and gave me kind words. I enjoyed this moment. The warmth, the kindness, and empathy. I spoke to this woman a few times, but I knew nothing about her and she knew very little about me. But here she is, comforting and consoling me as if she knew me for years. This is a woman that a child deserves to have as a Mother. I exited the house when I heard the police sirens. Ms. Mason chased after me, but I am already outside. All of the neighbors are locked away in their houses. The neighborhood was empty and silent. This once peaceful neighborhood was impacted by all of my actions. Police cars swarmed Alyssa's house. Police officers walked to the house. One of them violently knocked on the door, shouting at the top of his lungs. I darted to the house, Ms. Mason is still chasing me, but I am too fast for her. I made it to the house and the officers opened the unlocked door. I darted to the front door, officers nearby saw me and attempted to get me. I am too fast and I spilled into the house. Two officers were in the living room and whirled around to see me with their guns drawn.

My heart was thundering with fear. The authorities will never stop making me paranoid. I feared that I would be shot. I swallowed my fear and anxiety and played my part. "My Mommy...mommy...is in the laundry room….." I gasped.

One officer that is tall and skinny ordered me to go outside. I obeyed and I hurried outside.

Alyssa's body was discovered quickly, another officer carried Alyona out of the house. Alyona was alert and was sobbing her eyes out. Me and Alyona was placed into a police car and driven away from the crime scene. I grabbed Alyona's clammy hand for comfort. I saw her disheveled expression. She was baffled and terrified. She was pale as snow and was trembling like a leaf in a hurricane. I wrapped my arms around her, I rocked her back and forth gently. My voice was gentle and compassionate. "Everything will be fine. I promise." I whispered into her ear. Alyona burst into tears. She was hysterical. "What happened? I….I...was sleeping, then…...the police….." She wept heavily. I stroked her hair gingerly. "Calm down, Alyona. Calm down. I am here." I reassured her.

Alyona is not comforted. The officer never uttered a word to us, I believe he was listening to our conservation. "Why is this happening? What happened?" Alyona demanded urgently. In her most lowest moment, Alyona became bold and serious. She did not want love and comfort, she wanted answers to her questions.

I spoke to her in Russian. "Alyssa was murdered by a man she brought home. I found her dead in the laundry room." I had to make sure I was sorrowful. I squeezed her hand tightly as if I was distraught and unraveling. "She was stabbed. She was killed." Alyona's lips quivered with horror, she burst out into broken sobs. She was a empathic soul. "No! Not Alyssa! Why?" She wailed in her native language. I embraced the child lovingly. I felt odd hugging her at that moment. Ironically she was hugging one of the most dangerous person in her life.

I found myself being questioned again. I sat in the questioning room, sitting across a detective in a confined room. I pretended to be sad, but I made sure I was articulate and obedient.

I gave them my story. I was looking for Alyssa, (My Mommy) and I discovered that she was stabbed to death in the laundry room. Simple enough story. I told them about the mysterious man and how he was very drunk.

That man, I would later learn, was named Seth Pinkman was a suspect immediately. He was reportedly detained upon the officers seeing the knife and blood splattered on him.

Again, I got off scot free. Me and Alyona found ourselves at Saint Amorettes once again. I frowned upon seeing the Orphanage of forgotten souls. My clothes and dresses were returned to me a few days later. I was now back at square one once again. I learned what happened to Seth Pinkman. He was blackout drunk so he had no memory of what happened on that fateful day. It helped my case that he had a record of domestic violence charges prior this incident. Apparently Alyssa met him in a bar on the night before she was murdered. Alyssa brought him with promises of a one night stand, but Seth was heavily intoxicated by the time he arrived to her house.

Since he had Alyssa's blood on him, no alibi, the murder weapon, and a suspicious criminal history, I successfully managed to frame Seth for murder.

I hated how I was at the Orphanage again. I felt trapped. Hopelessness filled me. I was greeted kindly by the Sisters. Me and Alyona were given words of comfort and compassion. Alyona was touched, but I was indifferent.

Alyona finally managed to get a dorm with me and I was happy about being with my beloved daughter. I was brewing with frustration and anxiety, I sought out the affections of my daughter. I grabbed her cold wrist to bring her into our safe haven, the art room. "Let's go paint." I forced my voice to be cheerful and childish. But Alyona yanked her hand away and refused to look me in the eyes. "No." She said urgently. "I want to be alone!" I felt my heart crack. I felt rejection at this moment. "Alyona…." I whispered, I attempted to grab my daughter's wrist again. But Alyona was not having it. "No! Leave me alone!" She gave me a scornful glare and jerked away from me. She ran off before I could say another word. Tears of dejection rolled down my cheeks instantly.

But at this point, I am overwhelmed with emotions. I isolated myself in my empty new dorm. I felt all of my pent up emotions boiling inside of me. My mind went blank and my body became stiff. I worried about my future. Everything seemed so bleak. I dropped to my knees, bursting into tears. I slammed my fists onto the floor violently.

I was at the end of my rope. Mercedes is eight. She will always be a small child. I can't be here for years and years. I will never change. My weight doesn't change. My height doesn't change. My dreams, goals, and ambitions will never change. I looked at my surroundings. All I see are walls and walls. I felt imprisoned. I had no life here. I had no other choices!

I yanked my hair violently, sobbing heavily to myself. "WHY? IS IT SO HARD?" I wailed hysterically. I felt great annoyance upon hearing the joyful and innocent laughter of the children meandering in the corridors. I was just ready to explode at this point. I discovered a couple of barbie dolls under another girl's bed. I snatched them up and in a fit of anger, I began to violently tear them apart. "STUPID PIECES OF SHIT!" I barked. I tossed them to the floor irefully.

I bawled out my eyes for several minutes. I felt nothing but misery. I wiped away my tears. It was best for me to not be alone with my thoughts. I walked into the corridor. Alyona popped into my mind.

I guess you're wondering why I didn't immediately try to kill or hurt Alyona like I did Trinity? Well even I don't even know. I felt rejection at that moment, but I wasn't angry at her.

The truth is that I truly do love and cherish Alyona. The only reason why I don't see myself harming this child is because my love for her is infinite.

In my mind, she is my flesh and blood. Alyona is my daughter. She is my only friend in this world. I know that is depressing coming from a grown woman such as myself. But it is the truth. Alyona is someone I value and treasure with all of my heart. I understood that Alyona desired space. She was a small child trying to comprehend how her adoptive Mother was brutally murdered. So I respected her wishes and left her alone.

I wandered around the Orphanage by myself. I forced cheerful thoughts to seep its way into my cynical psyche. I imagined my handsome and loving husband cherishing and loving me. I fantasized my beautiful and luxurious wedding. I saw myself in a glamorous wedding dress that was long and flowy. My hair is curled and wavy. I imagined my beautiful, not modified face. I imagined myself of if I was not deformed. I imagined how I would look if I was normal. I was slender and curvy, my face was womanly and I was beautiful in every way possible. I was a real woman.

A small little girl ran to me and my lovely husband. The little girl is ebullient and happy, she leaped into my arms jovially. I spun her around and buried her in maternal kisses.

I smiled upon thinking about that. I smiled ear to ear. "That's what I want." I whispered to myself.

 _ **Next chapter will come soon. Reviews and thoughts.**_


	21. Chaos

_**I will resume my writing of The Infection in the summer. I am still struggling with writer's block for now. So I am focusing on Mercy, The Avenging, and my other stories.**_

 _ **In chapter 20, Alanna successfully murdered Alyssa and removed herself and Alyona out of the house. Now Alanna must start back from square one, much to her chagrin. Upon Alanna's return, she realized how drastically the Orphanage changed. Now she has to deal with enemies. Update: I have made several changes, I feel like the weather and months needs to be changed. So I changed the current months.**_

I looked out of the art room window to gaze at the beauty of winter. "Mercy.." I turned my head to Alyona. She sat at her easel, she just finished a painting and was eager for me to see it. "Look! Look!" She urged.

I smiled at the child's enthusiasm. It's been several days since I murdered Alyssa and got us removed from her house. Alyona was still wearing her cast which was due to be removed in one week. Alyona and I grew closer and closer, our relationship was close knitted. We were attached to the hip.

My love for this girl kept growing and growing every single day. I desperately wanted to tell her I wanted to be her Mommy. I wanted her to know that I loved her more than life itself. But I know I can never tell her that.

There were drastic changes that occurred after we left. Trinity was adopted by a family one week after we left. Addison and Jessica were respectively adopted by two different families shortly after. New faces filled the Orphanage and replaced the old ones.

It was at bedtime when me and Alyona walked side by side into our shared dorm. There were two new girls that shared our dorm with us. Both of the girls were eleven with brown hair, one girl's hair was straight and long and the other was curly and short. They were both tall and skinny. Both of the girls were brand new, they were occupied putting their clothes into the dresser.

I made my way to my bottom bunkbed. Alyona climbed up to her top bunk above mine.

"HEY!" I turned my head to see the girl with straight brown hair glare at me. "That is my bed! Move!" She hissed.

I ignored the child and crawled into my bedsheets. The girl rushed to my bed with a furious look on her face. She balled up her fists with a offended scowl. "That is my bed! I picked that bed!" She whined.

The other girl with curly hair glared at me, but she walked over to her friend and attempted to pull her away from me. She clearly didn't want trouble. "Hayley, stop it!" She rebuked sharply. "Who cares about this bitch?" She shot me a cold glare. I rolled my eyes as anger boiled in my chest. You already know I do not take shit from anyone!

"Shut the fuck up, you little bitch!" I snapped. I gave them a icy glare. Hayley grew more and more offended. She looked like she wanted to fight me.

"Don't talk to Amber like that! Who the fuck do you think you are?" Hayley snarled. I rolled my eyes, I pretended that this annoying child did not exist and rolled onto my side. I always make a enemy. No matter what I do or where I am, enemies appears. If I made friends like I make enemies, I would be the most popular girl on Earth.

Alyona broke in to defend me. "Leave her alone! That is her bed. She was here first." Alyona pointed a helpful finger to the empty bunkbed across the room. "Those aren't taken. Sleep there." She said bluntly.

Hayley rolled her eyes. "No one was talking to you!" She barked. Amber forcefully tugged her stupid friend away from us and to the beds. Hayley loudly mumbled to herself. She began to rant furiously to her friend about us as if we were not in the room.

"Stupid bitch!" Hayley fumed as she begrudgingly crawled into the lower bunkbed. Amber quietly crawled into the top bunk. Anger and resentment simmered in my chest. I imagined myself harming this child and her stupid friend.

But quickly I pushed them back into the deepest depths of my mind. I resolved myself to not commit violent actions here. I can't risk slipping up and getting caught red handed. I needed to control my rage and I needed to practice self restraint. I swallowed my anger and went to sleep.

In the morning, I got up early and did my "Mercy" routine. It was a pleasant Sunday, instead of going outside like the many other children, me and Alyona were alone in the art room. But today, Alyona and I were simply talking among each other. I listened to Alyona attentively, I was eager to learn every inch about her. Over time, Alyona would give me hints and hints about her past. Apparently, Alyona was born in Russia, adopted by Americans, and she ended up here. I do not know anything about her biological parents or her adoptive parents.

Then I felt a horrible presence nearby. And yes, it was who you think it is. Motherfucking Hayley. I turned my head to her with a cold stare. Hayley glared at me from the doorway, I wanted her to come inside the room so badly. But Hayley never stepped into the room, she was just staring at me, pondering what she could do to ruin my life.

Hayley, an impudent and brash child, shot me the middle finger. I stood up in my chair with a furious glare on my face. I balled up my fists aggressively. I beckoned her to come inside the room with my finger. Alyona got out of her chair and grabbed my arm to stop me from doing anything rash. "No! Let's just paint!" She urged. Alyona looked at Hayley with a strict expression. Alyona could be a very authoritative person at times. "Stop messing with us!" She demanded. "I don't know what your problem is, but you need to leave me and Mercy alone!"

Hayley burst out laughing. "Oh," Her tone became mocking and spiteful. "I'm sorry that your dumb sister needs special attention!" She sneered. Immaturely, she stuck out her tongue at Alyona. Alyona was a mature girl for her age and rolled her eyes at Hayley's stupidity. She raised her voice. "Leave us alone!" She hollered.

Hayley mimicked Alyona's thick accent in a mocking manner. "Leave us alone!" She snickered cruelly. "Stupid bitch!" She hissed.

Alyona balled her fists, her chest was heaving up and down with impatience. Alyona bit her lower lip to keep herself from completely losing her temper. I glared at the girl, ready to rumble. If Hayley stepped an inch into this room, I will promptly beat the shit out of her! And that's not a bluff, that's a fact.

Hayley saw Alyona's body language and teased her. "Oh, what? Scared?" She had eagerness floating in her eyes. She reminded me of Melinda. Though she was slightly more tamed than Melinda. At least Melinda would actually fight the person instead of bluffing.

"Come on, Alyona. You want to talk shit? Well come at me!" She beckoned Alyona to come to her with both hands.

Alyona wanted no confrontations. She shook her head and sat down in her chair. Hayley burst out laughing at this.

I took a step closer to her. "Fuck off! Alyona is doing you a favor! Walk away or prepare to be fucked up!" I warned her. I gave her a dark look. "Or...you can come inside and deal with me." I beckoned her to come inside again. I smiled wickedly at her.

Hayley's face became blank. She looked down at the floor for a brief second as if pondering if entering this room would be a smart idea.

But Hayley didn't. Perhaps she's smart to know not to fuck with me or perhaps she wanted to mess with me later, but the girl darted away from the doorway and disappeared into the corridor.

"Stupid bitch." I mumbled, sitting in my chair. Alyona lowered her eyes to the floor ashamed. I noticed her demeanor. "Aly," I called her one of the many nicknames I made for her. "Aly, what is wrong?"

"How do you do it, Mercy?" Alyona looked up at me full of envy. "You're so…..brave...and tough."

I was taken aback abit. "You handled Hayley well." I complimented.

Alyona soaked up my compliment like a sponge. "Thanks." She muttered.

At bedtime, me and Alyona headed to our dorm together. When we entered the room, I glared at the sight of Amber and Hayley. They were getting into their bunkbeds, not looking at me once. Alyona was silent as a mouse.

I pulled my sheets up and I discovered a large blue stain that was presumably juice. It was fresh and was still spreading through the bed.

I heard snickering behind me. "Sweet dreams, Mercy." Hayley giggled. I turned my head to her to see her comfortably in her bed, smiling widely at me. Amber was giggling to herself in amusement.

"You dumb little bitch! What the hell?" I snarled as anger boiled in my chest.

"Shut up, Mercy. Not Hayley's fault if you're messy with your juice. Go to bed and wash your sheets, dumbass!" Amber insulted.

Alyona attempted to be the peacemaker. "Enough!" Alyona barked. "Stop fighting!"

Hayley glared at Alyona. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" She hissed. Alyona shrank and evaded eye contact with her.

"Leave her alone, Hayley! You little bitch, you better sleep with one eye open tonight." I hissed. Hayley giggled in response. She clearly did not take my threat seriously. Neither did Amber. Amber chortled at me.

I rolled my eyes. I wanted to rip these girls into pieces. "Mercy….just go wash your sheets." Alyona whispered at me loudly.

I decided to listen to Alyona. If I batter both of these bitches into pudding, I will be in deep shit with the authorities.

I got the sheets and covers off of my bed and headed to one of the Sister's office. I was approached by Sister Pauline.

"I spilled juice on my sheets." I said meekly. Sister Pauline smiled warmly at me and took my sheets from me. "I will take care of it for you, sweetheart." She cooed. Sister Pauline departed away from me.

I was given warm sheets and blankets several minutes later. I was exhausted at this point. My hatred for the girls grew and grew. I entered the dorm and made up my bed.

All of the girls were fast asleep. I gazed at Hayley. I wanted to wrap my fingers around her pathetic throat and choke the life from me. But I had to restraint myself. I crawled into bed and went to sleep.

In the early morning, I did my routine. I entered the dorm with my youthful mask. Hayley was brushing her chocolate colored hair. Alyona sat up on her bed and waited for me.

I decided to approach the bitch for her little prank. "Why did you do that?" Hayley stopped brushing her hair and turned to me with a smirk. "What are you talking about?" She faked ignorance. "I did not do anything."

I rolled my eyes. "You little bitch, you poured juice into my bed. What the fuck is wrong with you?" I snarled.

Hayley attempted to conceal her laughter by putting a hand on her mouth. "I did not do anything, Mercy." She chuckled.

"Fuck you!" I growled. Then Alyona decided to jump in. She got out of bed and hurried to me. She grabbed my arm. "Let's go eat breakfast." She urged urgently.

Once again, I listened to Alyona. Hayley smirked at me as Alyona dragged me into the corridor.

For the half of the day, Alyona and I proceeded with our Monday as normal. Alyona did her best to not to mention Hayley or Amber. I was boiling on the insides, all of my pent up emotions was ready to erupt at any moment.

I wanted to hurt Hayley desperately.

I sat in my classroom, Alyona was not in the same classroom as me and I was alone. Amber and Hayley whispered and snickered at me. They were gossiping to their clique in the back of the room. Sister Jane was grading papers at her desk.

I ignored the girls and pushed them into the back of my mind. Once class is over, I immediately hurried to find Alyona.

I found her in her our usual haven and I nearly snapped.

Alyona was on her knees, weeping softly to herself. Her eyes are glued to the floor. There, yanking a chunk of her ebony hair was Hayley. Amber was chuckling like this was the funniest thing in the world.

I looked around and spotted a thick textbook on the floor. I swiftly grabbed it and charged towards Hayley. Without a word, I bashed the little bitch on the head with the book. Hayley is too stunned to scream, she released out a sharp gasp, she lost her grip, and staggered back.

"You bitch!" I snarled. "I warned you!" With that, I shoved Hayley to the floor. I swung the textbook at her, but Hayley was able to evade it. She scrambled to her feet and took a cautious step away from me.

She then began to cry. She rubbed her temples as she sobbed heavily. "OWW! THAT HURT! WHAT THE FUCK?" wailed Hayley.

I charged at Hayley and I shoved her to the floor again. She landed hard on her butt and cried harder. I balled my fists, ready to lash out.

"STOP IT!" Amber roared, she used all of her strength to shove me away from her friend. The textbook fell out of my hands and Amber was on top of me. She began to slap and tear at my face. "Stupid bitch! You crazy bitch! Fuck you! Don't mess with Hayley ever!" She snarled. I'll admit Amber was not a weak opponent. I tussled and wrestled with the young girl.

Then I am able to give Amber a kick to the stomach that lifts her off of me. Amber staggered back and was prepared to charge at me. Alyona then got in front of me. "Stop it! No more! Please!" She begged emotionally.

Amber rolled her eyes and glared at us. "Do not ever mess with me or Hayley again!" She warned.

Alyona nodded her head in agreement. "Okay!" She cried. Amber went to her friend's side and they both glared at me. "Fuck you, Mercy!" Hayley insulted.

Then both of the girls departed the room. I gritted my teeth in frustration. I wanted to chase after them and batter them black and blue. I hurried to Alyona and examined her keenly.

"Are you okay?" I inquired. Alyona nodded. "I'm fine." She told me.

I needed to punish those bitches. I despised those girls for hurting my Alyona. I needed to make them pay.

I contemplated what I should do. I wanted to inflict physical harm to them. It was at dinnertime when I finally developed a brilliant plan. When dinnertime is over, we have dessert. Usually cookies, brownies, muffins, or doughnuts.

I sat the table to see the bulletboard that informs everyone what's for dinner and dessert. Today, we were having sugar cookies and fruit punch.

I formed the idea from thinking about Sarah. I have no intention of killing Hayley or Amber, even though I wouldn't mind. But I had to lace their drinks with a chemical to make them violently ill.

Alyona was eating her meatloaf quietly. She was in her own little world, not being bothered by anything. I gobbled up my meal as fast as I could.

"Aly, I am going to the bathroom." I lied to her. I stood up. Alyona nodded in response. I hurried off into the corridor. I walked down the corridor stealthily. Then I saw the nurse's office. I poked my head into the room, I did not see the Nurse in the room because she was in the bathroom. I did not waste time, I hurried into the room with a pulsing heart. I grabbed a footstool so I could reach the high cabinet. On the cabinets, there were labels. I stood on the stool and I opened the cabinet that said: "Medicines." The cabinet was full of bottles and bottles of medicines and remedies. I smiled devilishly at the sight of the Ipecac syrup. I swiftly grabbed it and rushed out of the office. I concealed the bottle by stuffing it into my dress. I was lucky when I did, because the Nurse walked out of the bathroom.

The Nurse was a chubby woman with straight blonde hair. I did not know her name. "Hello, Mercedes." She greeted me warmly. I waved at her cordially and bypassed her.

I looked for the room where they stored the food and drinks for dessert. I found it fairly quick. It was in Sister Pauline's office. Pauline was a kind and trusting woman. She never locked her door. I entered the room with no problems. She had a plate of fresh cookies on her desk with cups of orange fruit punch neatly organized. I slightly closed the door and hurried to the snacks. With a gleeful grin, I opened the ipecac of syrup. It was clear and full. All of ths plastic cups were labeled with all of the children's names on them. I did not put the syrup into mine or Alyona's. I poured a cup full into Hayley and Amber. I poured a good amount into several other cups. I do not want to risk being suspicious. So I decided to poison other girls to hide my tracks. I was bursting with anxiety. I was afraid that someone would see me. I made a haste out of the room and I rushed to the nearest bathroom. I closed the door behind me and I examined the bottle. It was half empty. I poured water into the bottle to fill it. Then I rushed out of the bathroom and to the Nurse office.

At dinnertime, the Nurse isn't usually in the office. Luckily for me, the Nurse was in the messhall, eating her meal with the Sisters. I hurried into the room and proceeded to put the bottle back. Then I made a mad haste to the messhall. I am breathless, when I sat at the table with Alyona, I was exhausted. Half of the girls were already done eating. Other girls are still eating the last bites. It was several minutes when dinnertime is over and dessert is served.

I smiled ear to ear at the sight of the juice. In the plastic cups were the laced fruit punch. I was so eager about what was about to occur. Alyona glanced at me with a perplexed expression. "Mercy, are you alright?" She asked me.

I stopped smiling. "I'm fine. Just excited for snack time!" I said childishly. Alyona shrugged her shoulders and dismissed our conservation. The Sisters escorted all of us into the Day Room. Me and Alyona sat on the couch with another little girl. Hayley and Amber were among their clique, giggling and gossiping in the center of the room.

I felt glee upon seeing Sister Pauline serving the drinks and food. I watched Hayley and Amber like a hawk, my eyes followed their every movement. Amber took a long sip of her fruit punch, clearly oblivious to the chemicals in it. Hayley was occupied snacking on her cookies, her drink was placed by her side.

Drink it! Just drink it already! I yelled in my head.

Then I felt a gentle nudge from my daughter. "Mercy, just let it go. Stop looking at her before she sees you." She urged. I exhaled and nodded. I reassured myself that Hayley would drink eventually.

I ate my cookies and drank my drink. Alyona and I chattered among each other.

Then one little girl with red hair began to clutch her stomach and began to whine. "Sister...I...I...don't feel…." Then the girl violently vomited onto the floor. Almost instantly the other girls around her scattered away from her like she had the plague. A few girls were retching from the sight of the vomit. Other girls whispered and appeared confused or worried. The Sisters rushed to the girl's side.

Then another little girl that was Asian began to heavily sob, she clutched her stomach in pain. "OWW! OWW! MY STOMACH HURTS!" Then she vomited violently onto the floor. Almost instantly two other girls became violently ill and threw up on the floor.

The other girls's confusion drastically turned into fear and apprehension. Several girls cried to themselves, some were clumped together, hugging each other, trembling like a leaf, and the other girls are shaking with fear. The Sisters were stressed out, they became frantic, running to each ill child, trying to keep everything calm.

"OH NO!" Amber then vomited. I covered my mouth with my hand to hide my gleeful smile. Hayley screamed and ran from her friend. Her drink was left alone, completely full.

Four other girls began to vomit afterwards. The ill girls cried heavily to themselves, clutching their stomachs and whimpering like pitiful animals.

Then the Asian girl threw up again, but this time, her vomit was tainted with blood. She fell to the floor after she violently vomited. Girls began to frantically panic and scream at the top of their lungs. Alyona was trembling in fright. She embraced me for protection. "MERCY, WHAT IS HAPPENING?" She asked me. I remained calm. I stroked her hair gently. "Calm down" I said gently.

Alyona was too emotional to listen. "SHE THREW UP BLOOD! SHE'S DYING!" She pointed to the Asian girl. Alyona broke down into hysterical tears. I felt pity for my child. I embraced her warmly and kissed her on her forehead. But Alyona was crying her little heart out.

Then two other girls began to vomit blood. They collapsed to the floor, exhausted and weak, rolling in their vomit. Their eyes are wide with terror, they were screaming and crying. One girl was praying loudly to herself as she curled up into a feeble ball.

Then Amber vomited up blood. "SOMEONE HELP ME! DEAR GOD, PLEASE HELP ME!" She pleaded desperately. Many girls were bawling their eyes out, terrified that they would be next.

"CALL 911!" Sister Jane screeched as she sprinted into the corridor. Sister Pauline was pale as a ghost, she had no clue how to deal with this.

I decided that I needed to play my part. I burst into tears and pretended to be fearful and hysterical.

"SISTER PAULINE! AM I NEXT?" I screamed frantically. I clutched my stomach, shaking my head back and forth. I pretended to start hyperventilating. Sister Pauline was gasping for air, she was too occupied trying to comfort the ill children to listen to me.

"What is happening? Why is this happening?" I wailed.

Sister Pauline raised her voice. "INTO THE HALLWAY! GO!" She commanded. Within seconds, everyone was out of the room. Everyone clumped up in the hallway. There was not a dry eye in the place.

Alyona clung to me like a lifeline, shivering and shuddering. I turned my head to see Hayley pathetically sobbing to herself. Her arms were wrapped around another weeping girl.

The orphanage was 10 miles away from the nearest hospital. The Sisters ordered everyone to go to our dorms. Alyona and I sat on our beds. I seethed at the sight of Hayley. She was lucky. I wonder if she had a sixth sense and knew something was wrong with her drink. Hayley crawled into her bedsheets and miserably wept to herself.

I giggled softly to myself at her misery.

I was not done yet. I wanted to make Hayley's life pure hell. I sat quietly, pondering different ways to torture her. Alyona has calmed down slightly. She was sniffling and wiping away her tears. "What happened? Are they going to die?" Alyona was trembling uncontrollably. I hated the trauma I was putting Alyona through. But I had to protect her.

"No." I said calmly. "They will be fine." I lied.

Hayley's sobbing became harder. "Why? Not Amber!" She wailed.

Alyona broke down into tears again.

I laid on my back and my lips curled up. I concealed my smile by rolling onto my side.

The Ambulance finally arrived hours later. Many of the girls were unconscious and sickly pale. I personally didn't care if any of the girls died. All of the ill girls were taken to the hospital.

The Sisters who were beyond frantic at this point, struggled to remain calm. Even Sister Wanda appeared shaken. Sister Jane led all of this girls into a supportive prayer. After the prayer, it was past bedtime. We all headed into our dorms and went to bed.

The very next morning was a somber one. The children lacked their youthful enthusiasm. Many of the girls just moped and talked quietly among each other. Some girls were weeping and praying over their ill friends. I knew I have traumatized many of the girls.

I still kept my innocent facade. Alyona was still distraught and worried for the other girl's fates.

At dessert time, we were served non laced orange juice and cinnamon buns. I ate my bun and relished the flavor. Many of the girls sulked and were anxious to eat. They only talked to each other.

I had no idea of what came of the girls. I would hear hints from the Sisters that the girls are in severe conditions.

After dessert, me and Alyona sat in our dorm, preparing for bed.

Hayley hid under her sheets, weeping for her sick friend. Alyona, being such a sweet girl, climbed down from her bed and out of the room. She returned with a clump of tissues and without a word offered it to Hayley.

Hayley took it without saying, "Thank you." She rubbed her eyes.

"I'm sorry about Amber." She whispered gently. "I'm sure she will be alright. Hopefully the other girls will be okay too."

Hayley shot her angry look. "Shut up! I don't care what you think!" She snapped harshly. "My best friend is in the hospital, you dumb bitch. She is not okay. None of this is okay!" Hayley seethed. Her face turned beet red with frustration and anger.

Alyona took a step back and understood that Hayley was too emotional to calm down.

"Sorry." She said meekly. I hurried to my daughter's aid. I glared coldly at Hayley. "Hayley, you better not speak to Alyona like that ever again!" I warned.

"Fuck you, Mercy!" She hurled herself out of her bed and aggressively approached me. She was clearly being ruled by her extreme emotions. There was no logic to her behavior anymore.

"Fuck you, Mercy! You are just a bitch! Just like Alyona. Both of you are losers! My best friend is in the hospital!" She balled up her hands.

I rolled my eyes. "So?" I said callously.

Hayley's eyes widened. "What is wrong with you? You are sick! Sick in the head!" She shrieked.

I smiled wickedly at her to psyche her out. Hayley responded with sheer emotions. She swung her backhand and caught me by surprise. I was backhanded by the young girl. Hayley was weak and was the same height as me, but that slap was sharp and painful.

I gasped in shock. I would have lashed out at the girl, haven't Alyona restrained me. She wrapped her arms around my waist and held me back. I was scratching and lashing at the air, blindly struggling against Alyona. I was seeing red, if I did get my hands on Hayley at this moment, I would have killed her.

Hayley stood stiffly, she was yelling and provoking me to fight her. "Come at me! Come at me!" She challenged. The room became noisy with my yelling and Hayley's provoking, and Alyona's shrill pleas. Then our dorm door opened and Sister Wanda barged into the room. Everything was silent. All of her stared at Sister Wanda with frozen expressions.

I was quick. "Sister Wanda, Hayley slapped me across the face!" I cried. I put a hand on my burning cheek.

Hayley shook her head vehemently. "No! No! She is lying! Mercy...Mercy hit me!"

I shook my head. "No! She did hit me!" I emphasised. Alyona then vouched for me. "Sister Wanda, Hayley did slap Mercy. They were arguing and Hayley slapped her!" She explained.

Sister Wanda was silent. Her eyes scanned us to detect our lies. "Hayley, I will remove you from this dorm. You will sleep in a new dorm today."

Hayley's eyes bulged with shock. Her voice became high pitched. "What? No! No! What about Amber?" Hayley shrieked.

Sister Wanda was not having it. "Hayley, come with me. Luckily for you there is a girl that just left."

Hayley then threw a tantrum. She stomped her foot immaturely like a five year old and began to sob heavily. "No! No!" Hayley screamed. Wanda snatched her wrist sternly and dragged the girl into the corridor. I smiled at the misery I have inflicted on Hayley.

Since my return, this Orphanage was a living nightmare for the children and staff here.

Hayley slept in a dorm three doors away from my dorm. Three days passed and I heard news that the girls I poisoned all lived and were recovering in the hospital.

When the news was announced, the Sisters threw a party. Cupcakes, cakes, brownies, muffins, and doughnuts were served to us in the messhall. Sister Pauline made all of the girls to make a poster or get well cards to give to the girls when they return home. Mine was a simple get well card and I had very little interest in it.

The girls were examined and the doctors diagnosed them with severe food poisoning.

I still contemplated on how to inflict Hayley with my wrath. I wanted to hurt her emotionally and physically. I dwelled in my thoughts. They were violent and grim. I imagined myself torturing her.

I then developed an idea. A brilliant one that will scar the little bitch for the rest of her life. I waited patiently for my time to strike.

It was early in the morning when I did my makeup. The quietness of the orphanage always shattered with the jovial cheering of the Sisters rejoicing over the girls I poisoned arriving home.

"Girls, they're back!" Sister Rose shouted out. Within minutes, all of the girls rushed downstairs to see all of the girls. I arrived with a relieved Alyona at my side. Alyona was happy over their return, she clutched my hand and began to bounce up and down in joy. "They're home! Mercy, they're home!" She was on the verge of tears. I smiled at my daughter. I loved her empathy and innocence.

I did this for you, my little Alyona. Is what I desperately wanted to say. I wanted Alyona to know my maternal feelings for her. How I treasured and cherished her. How I would and will do anything for her. But I know I can't.

I personally didn't care for this. I struggled not to frown at the sight of Amber. I pretended to be as jovial and jubilant as the other girls.

Now it was time to focus on Hayley! I vowed in my mind as I led Alyona into the art room. I decided to search for Hayley. I had to do it NOW! Hayley needed to pay now!

I made my way out of the room without a word.

I walked through the corridor. Childish laughter and giggling echoed through the building. Once the girls returned home, the Orphanage reverted back to it's carefree and innocent environment.

I found Hayley's dorm fairly quick. Hayley was in her room by herself, playing with her dolls. Amber was downstairs, still chattering and rejoicing with the other girls. Upon returning, Amber was treated like royalty and she was loving it.

I crept into the doorway of Hayley's room. Hayley was sitting on her bed, looking out of the open window. It was hot in the room and she was enjoying the cool breeze from the outside. In her hand was a barbie doll. She played with it, completely oblivious to my presence. I was slow, ever so slow. Hayley was inches away from the window, relishing the coldness. Then I heard her humming to herself softly. For once this brash and mean spirited child was innocent and childish in her most vulnerable moment. I had to show her who was in control. I was strong and she was weak. She didn't hold a candle to me!

With rage in my chest, I sprung towards my prey. A burst of energy erupted inside of me and I wrapped my firm arms around the stunned girl's waist. With all of my strength, I shoved the girl straight out of the window.

I dove to the floor instantly after I was done. Hayley's deafening screeching pierced the air as she fell fifteen feet to the grass. Her barbie doll hit the ground the second she plummeted to the grass. Hayley's limbs were twisted unnaturally, she was sobbing and screaming hysterically.

Hayley's screaming was so loud that it echoed inside the building. Instantly the laughter and giggling of the innocent children ceased. I looked out of the window to see the Sisters sprinting to Hayley's side.

I rushed out of the dorm. "MERCY!" Alyona sprinted to me with tender tears in the eyes. "What happened?"

"Hayley fell out of the window." I admitted bluntly. Alyona gave me a confused look. "Why were you in her dorm?" She inquired.

I lied precisely. "I heard her screaming, so I ran into the room."

Alyona nodded, seeing no reason to think I am lying. "This week is so crazy! First everyone gets really sick and now someone fell out of a window! What is happening?!" She cried.

I put on a cheerful smile on my face to comfort my distraught child. "Aly, it is alright. Eventually we will leave this place and find a good family to take care of us."

Hayley's screaming still rang in the building. It was music to my ears, I relished every second of her misery. I felt like I was on drugs, I felt so powerful and in control. I wanted to dance and sing out of joy.

Alyona was not comforted by my words. "Will…..Hayley be alright?" She asked me gently.

Personally I did not care. I hoped she died. But from all of the crying and shrill screaming, she was very much full of life unfortunately.

I lied to keep Alyona happy. "Yes. She will. I promise."

 _Next chapter will come._


	22. The Weiss

It took two weeks for Hayley return from the hospital with all of her injuries. She was actually lucky to survive such a high fall. She only suffered a broken leg, three broken ribs, a fractured hip, her left arm was fractured, and she damaged her tailbone. So to be frank, she was fucked up!

The best of all of this is that Hayley never told on me. I assume that she didn't see me push her. I was swift when I shoved her little ass out of the window. After I shoved her out of the window, I released all of my pent up frustrations and emotions. She was placed in her dorm to rest. I considered going in there and torturing her. I imagined myself battering her, choking her, and ripping out her hair.

But I dismissed that thought. She finally got what she deserved and I should just let the misery and agony destroy her naturally.

After all of my rage and destruction has passed, life reverted back to normal. Alyona was freed from her cast and was fully healed. Children regained their innocence. Amber was adopted by her Aunt a week after I poisoned her, furthur giving Hayley heartbreak. When she learned that her best friend was gone, she lamented and sobbed for an entire day. Her sobs of misery was pleasing to hear.

From that point, I made a decision to be segregated. Only Alyona was allowed to be around me. Even though I managed to get away with acts of violence, I don't want to risk my luck. I need to focus on my future adoption.

I evaded talking to anyone new. Me and Alyona kept to ourselves. We were secluded to each other. I did enjoy my time with my daughter. My life here was bearable with Alyona by my side. But every second, my fear keeps growing and growing. I am terrified of the idea of me being trapped here for years and years to come.

I struggle to keep my nerves calm when anxiety is boiling within me. I felt great envy for the lucky children being taken away by smiling adoptive parents.

I constantly think about my future family. A man whom I could swoon and make my lover. A adorable child that I could adopt and nurture with all of the love and compassion. I desire to be the matriarch of my own household.

Potential parents began to pour in during this month of Janaury. I dreaded Janaury. My birth month. On Janaury 18th, I turned 30. Usually on this day, I dreaded the fact that I am growing older and older. Even though I am young, I felt ancient.

Seeing the children enjoying their youthful exuberance makes me envious. I hated this place so much, all I wanted to do was be adopted already! But being with Alyona made my birthday bearable for once. Me and her sat alone in the art room, chattering and giggling among each other. We were both painting beautiful and vivid paintings.

Then Alyona nudged me gently. I turned my head to her to see a sweet smile on her face. I realized she had something behind her back. "I have a surprise for you." She chirped.

I stopped painting and Alyona eagerly showed me a sweet card she crafted. It was a homemade card that was beautifully decorated. The card was pale yellow, on the front, there is a cute cupcake with pink icing on it drawn on it. She gave it to me and immediately opened it and I am amazed by the pop art inside. Colorful balloons pops out of the card and I was completely fascinated. "This is adorable, Aly!" I rejoiced.

Under the pop art was written in black bold letters: TO MY BEST FRIEND, MERCY!

I felt my heart lift. I am nearly brought to tears.

"Thank you." I chirped. Alyona beamed happily. We both continued to paint diligently. Every passing second was bliss for me. The room is tranquil and humble, I'm close to my sweet tempered daughter, and I was gifted with a lovely present.

Then I heard something better that instantly seized my attention. "Hello?" It was a male voice. I turned around in my chair to be enthralled to see a handsome man entering the room. The man is tall, chiseled face, chestnut hair with eyes blue as a cornflower. He has fair skin and a attractive body. I felt the entire world fade away, it was as if there was me and him were the only two people in the world.

"Hey," The man greeted us. He extended out a firm hand to me. Eagerly, I shook his hand. His hand is pleasantly warm.

"My name is Mercedes, what is your name?" I introduced myself with a beautiful smile.

"Cole. Cole Weiss." He told me. Cole seemed instantly charmed by my accent. My thick and smooth accent has always been one of my trademark.

I gestured to a reserved Alyona. "This is Alyona." I said precisely.

Cole smiled warmly at Alyona and extended out a hand to her. Alyona just stared at Cole shyly. Her eyes met mine and I silently urged her to shake his hand.

Alyona looked at Cole directly in the eyes and gingerly shook his hand. "Hi." She whispered.

Cole eyed our art work. "These are amazing." He complimented. I felt my heart swoon, I was trapped in a state of euphoria. "Thank you." I said sweetly.

Cole grabbed a nearby chair to sit next to me. "Mind if I sit?" He asked.

"Of course." I said precisely.

Cole sat down and examined our paintings. "I wish I could paint like this. You two girls has great talent!" He exclaimed.

I nodded and smiled broadly. I took one sweet look at him and I was deeply in love.

"Oh there he is!" The voice of Sister Wanda invaded the room. I turned my head to see Sister Wanda and a woman in the doorway. The woman is smiling at us and gave me and Alyona a friendly wave.

"Wanda, this is Mercedes and Alyona." Cole urged. At first I was convinced he was speaking to Sister Wanda until the woman entered the room. The woman was very pretty, similar to Alyssa Green. She had wavy soft brown hair. She was willowy and slender. Wanda is admittedly beautiful, she wears light makeup to make her defined features to glow. Her blue eyes are as blue as the ocean. Wanda has light freckles scattered on her face and a dimpled smile. The couple was dressed warmly for the pleasant day.

The woman extended out a kind hand to each of us. "Hello," She chirped. "My name is Wanda Weiss."

I shook her hand limply. I did not like this woman at all.

"Wanda, look at their drawings!" Cole exalted, gesturing to our paintings.

Wanda admired the paintings with wide eyes. "They are beautiful!" She beamed. I gave the couple a humble smile.

"It is a pleasure to meet you both." I said politely.

Wanda gazed at my painting. "Your painting is beautiful, any meaning to it?"

"Yes," I said. My painting was a meadow of flowers, a mama bear is soundly sleeping with her little cubs. "It is a Mama bear sleeping with her babies." I made sure I smiled beautifully.

Wanda beamed. I had this couple wrapped around my finger. I briefly glanced at Wanda. I had to swallow my dislike for her.

I pretended to be stupid. "Why are you here?" I asked innocently.

Cole gave me a broad smile. "Well me and my wife are looking for a little addition to our family." He admitted.

Wanda smiled at me and Alyona. Her eyes became fixated on Alyona. I turned my head to Alyona. She was shy, avoiding eye contact with the couple.

"You're Alyona, right?" Wanda asked Alyona. Alyona's attention was seized.

Alyona spoke in a soft voice. "Yes."

Wanda eyed both of us, scanning us with curiosity. "What are you two here alone?" I spoke for Alyona. "We often sit in here to paint and hang out." I explain.

Wanda gave me a warm smile. She chuckled under her breath. "So you're the ringleader." She humored. Cole found this funny and chuckled along with his wife.

"Alyona is my best friend." I said sweetly. The moment I said this, Wanda and Cole's heartstrings were pulled. I glanced at Alyona. She seemed be heartwarmed that I said this.

"Tell me about yourself, Mercy." Wanda probed. I felt my body beaming with pride. I had these people charmed and hooked.

"I am from Estonia." I said. I was eager to learn about the Weiss. I wanted to learn everything about them. "What about you?"

Wanda sat upright in her chair. "Well I was born in Florida, I went to college here and I met my husband there." She said.

My eyes flicked to Cole. "What about you?" I then added a question that I deeply cared about. "Do you have children?"

"I lived here all of my life." Then he promptly answered my other question. "Yes. Me and my wife have big family."

I immediately think about the Sullivans. I wonder if Wanda is similar to Sarah. I felt like I was repeating the same family.

Cole goes on to elucidate. " We have twin daughters named Melanie and Morgan, they are fifteen. We have Cody, he is eleven, and we have Sabrina, who is seven."

I was completely interested. "Tell me about them, please?" I begged. Wanda and Cole were comfortable enough to reveal their children to me. I knew that this moment I have successfully charmed the Weiss.

Cole goes first. "I eventually met the love of my life." With that, Cole grabbed Wanda's hand and squeezed it. He stared into her eyes lovingly. Wanda broke out into a dreamy smile and giggled. I struggled not to frown. It was apparent that this couple was deeply in love with one another.

"They all sound nice. I am positive they are happy to have parents like you two."

The couple exchanged a look to each other. It was as if they could read each other's minds.

Then he added. "And I have one niece whom we adopted named Shelia, she is eight."

I beamed at the ideas of having more daughters for me to adopt. I loved the ideas of having Sabrina and Shelia being my daughters.

Wanda engaged Alyona into our conservation. "So tell me about yourself, Alyona?" Alyona, being a reserved soul, appeared thoughtful. She took time to speak. "I am from Russia," She remarked softly. "I have a older brother that still lives in Russia."

Wanda beamed. "Well you seem like a sweet girl. Anyone would be lucky to have you as a daughter."

Alyona's heart was warmed by this compliment and she broke out into a humble smile. "Thank you." She said politely.

I glanced at Alyona. I desired Alyona to be adopted with me. I imagined the idea of Alyona and my future daughters being nurtured by me with all of the love and compassion in the world.

Wanda smiled at us, eyeing both of us. She and Cole exchanged another look. They both nodded in unison.

"Well," Wanda clasped her hands together confidently. "We made up our minds." She assured. My heart began to burst with excitement. I wanted to jump up and down with joy.

"Are you adopting me and Alyona?" I squealed.

Cole and Wanda nodded at the same time. "Yes." Wanda confirmed. Alyona is beside herself, smiling and looking at the floor shyly. Then Wanda plucked her wallet out of her leather purse. She then proceeded to show me photos of the Weiss children.

It was a professional photo of all of the children. All of the children were standing next to each other, smiling in formal outfits behind a beautiful light blue background.

Wanda pointed out each child. She pointed to Cody. A tall, brown haired boy wearing a black formal suit. "This is Morgan and Melanie," Melanie looked nothing like her siblings or parents, she had straight auburn hair and blue eyes. I quickly realized the twins are fraternal, because Morgan has wavy blonde hair and brown eyes. Physically the twins are slender and graceful. "This is Sabrina." She then pointed to a adorable Sabrina. A pint sized little girl with curly golden blonde hair and shimmering brown eyes. She wore a cute pink dress.

And finally Shelia. A equally adorable girl with straight chocolate brown hair and glistening brown eyes. She was comparably small. She was cute as a button. She wore a blue dress with a black hairbow in her hair. I felt my motherly instincts clinging to the small children. I did not care about the other children. Similar to the Sullivans, I did not care for the older children. When I seduce Cole, I will remove them along with Wanda. All I wanted to do was learn about Shelia and Sabrina. Eventually the Weiss had to departed to go pick up their children from school. We hugged and exchanged farewells.

Once me and Alyona were completely alone, I embraced her full of joy. I spun her around, squeezing her as tightly as I could."We're adopted! We're adopted!" I squealed. When I released Alyona, I frowned at the sight of her not smiling. She appeared skeptical. "What if they're not nice?" She questioned.

I shook my head. "They are nice." I insisted. Alyona gulped. "I hope so, but….Alyssa…." She muttered.

I understood her point. Alyssa was a disappointment for a parent, but the Weiss seemed like a well off couple.

"I really hope you're right, Mercy." Alyona said softly. "I'm just scared that they will be mean and be crazy!" Alyona expressed.

I put a understanding hand on her shoulder. "Alyona, you can't keep thinking like that. There are good people out there. People who love you and will nurture you." I reassured her. Alyona still appeared skeptical, but her expression softened. "I hope you're right." She muttered. She seemed hesitant to express her opinions. "Well….I...just...worry that this family will not be great. What if they start abusing us and hurting us?" Once her concern rose to the surface, her emotions overflowed through her body. Tears poured down her cheeks immediately. I became dreadfully worried about Alyona's wellbeing. I decided that listening to her troubles is a wise choice. "I want a good home. I want to be adopted by nice people. People who actually care about me. Not adults like Alyssa who didn't pay attention to us. I just don't want to be…." Her lips quivered and she bit her lower lip. Without a word, she sprinted out of the room. "ALYONA!" I shrieked. I chased after the girl, Alyona was running like her hair was on fire, she dove into our dorm. I spilled into the dorm after her. Alyona climbed onto the top bunk, she was shuddering uncontrollably. "Please, Mercy, I want to be alone!" She whispered harshly. I do not leave the room. I am determined to comfort Alyona. Alyona then buried her face in her pillow, she was uttering out broken sobs that echoed through the room. I felt my heart ached. What abuse has this poor child endured? I want to hug her so badly.

Alyona cried her little heart out. Compassion flowed through me like a wave. I climbed up to the top bunk and sat on the bed. I reached my hand to the sobbing girl and put a warm hand on her back. "It is alright, Alyona. I am here for you." I chirped.

Alyona lifted her head from the pillow. Her eyes are puffy from her crying. Her face is reddish.

"Alyona, what exactly are you scared of?" I asked her. Alyona trembled in response. She was shaking like a leaf in a storm. Her voice was hoarse and weak. "Everything. I just don't want to be hit, touched, or be yelled at!" She wept.

I smiled confidently at her. "Alyona, I will protect you. I protected you before. I will protect you now."

Alyona appeared thoughtful.

I kept going. "Remember Alyssa? I was there for you. Jessica. Hayley. Amber. Everyone that hurt us. I protected you."

Alyona sniffled. She stopped shaking. "Yeah. But I just don't want to be abused anymore." She said plainly.

"You won't. Wanda and Cole are nice."

Alyona is stubborn. "But what if they don't stay nice?" She challenged.

"They will. Trust me." I promised. Alyona gave up, she embraced me tightly. I planted sweet kisses on her forehead. "Don't worry, Alyona. I will always love you." I said kindly.

For a couple of days, I was bursting with euphoria. I was glowing with confidence. The Weiss would visit me and Alyona twice a week. They were going to adopt both of us because me and Alyona are so close. Over time, I learned more and more about the Weiss family. I learned that Wanda was a former fashion designer who turned into a stay at home and a housewife. Cole was the breadwinner who worked as a architect. I learned vague details about Shelia. Cole never gave me great details, but he did tell me that his younger sister, Gemma lost custody to Shelia for "personal issues." He never indulged in what issues meant, but it must have been pretty bad for Gemma to lose primary custody to her child. Wanda and Cole adored their children and spoke highly of them.

At one point during their visits, I begged Cole and Wanda for a family photo. Luckily for me, I was granted my wish by Cole. It was a lovely picture of all of the children. It is a beautiful summer day, the children stood in a field, smiling and posing for a picture. I only cared about Sabrina and Shelia. From the photo, I could almost define their personalities from their mannerisms. Sabrina is frozen in bliss, she has a hyperactive pose with a jovial smile. Everything about her was carefree and cheerful. Shelia stays next to her as her polar opposite. Instead of smiling like the others, Shelia appears upset. Perhaps there was turmoil before or during the time of the photo. Her arms are crossed defiantly, intense willpower glimmers in her disapleased eyes. Stubbornly, she frowns at the camera. Why I was given this picture, I have no idea. I stayed up late in the night, Alyona and the other roommates were fast asleep. I gazed at my photo. I was fixated on Sabrina and Shelia. My future daughters that I have already grown to love and treasure. Hope popped into my mind. I wondered how she is. I hope she is happy and well. All I want for her is to have a wonderful life. I vowed myself that I will be a attentive and compassionate Mother to these children. I had this deep seated fear that began to grow increasingly. A fear of me not being able to balance my love. I remembered Blake. I loved her and cherished her for a long time. Then Hope was born and all of my love went to her. I promised myself that I would not repeat that mistake. Alyona had my infinite love and affections. I would love my children equally, like a Mother would.

As days turned into weeks, I was eager to leave this shithole. Alyona kept to herself, being a reserved soul. I can tell that she is still afraid of this drastic change, but she is happy that I am with her. I was prideful of myself for finally finding myself a home.

 _ **I am still currently working on The Avenging. Dealing with a slight hint of Writer Block, so for now, I will multitask between The Infection, Mercy, and The Avenging. I can't promise when it will come out, but I have already wrote out beginning chapters of each of my stories and it will take time to write them due to writer blocks, school, and time management. For now, you may see more Mercy chapters.**_

 _ **In the next chapter, Mercy and Alyona go live with the Weiss family.**_


	23. Welcome Home

It was January 26th when me and Alyona prepared to go home. Today was the happiest day of my life. Me and Alyona clutched hands together, I was smiling ear to ear. Alyona kept to herself, appearing more and more skeptical by the passing seconds.

Downstairs was the Weiss family awaiting our timely arrival. With our free hands, me and Alyona pulled our suitcases to the staircase. I gazed at my surroundings. So many events has occurred within these walls. If walls could talk, they would reveal all of the violent actions I have plagued this Orphanage with. I was dressed in a white frilly dress, with a thick coat, no longer did I dress in that drab outfit. I was prepared for this. I had plenty of dresses to hide my deformity, enough graze, makeup, and so on. My golden hair is curled primly, my eyes are glimmering with joy.

Alyona had a fresh face, fresh as a teardrop. I could sense her fear and apprehension. I leaned over to her to give her support. "We will be fine." I reassured her. Alyona turned her head to me and nodded quietly.

Then we walked downstairs with our hobbling suitcases. I wanted to give everyone in this place the middle finger. I honestly hope this shithole burns down to the ground.

"Hello, girls!" Wanda beamed. She was overjoyed to see me and Alyona. She hurried over to me and without warning gave me a tight embrace. I had to force myself to wrap my arms around her. I pulled away from her with a forced smile. "Thank you, Mommy." I chirped.

Then Wanda gave Alyona a warm embrace. Alyona appeared uncomfortable, but still managed to embrace Wanda back. "I am so happy that you girls are coming home!" Wanda squealed upon releasing Alyona. Alyona gave Wanda a small smile in return.

Cole embraced me and I eagerly embraced him back. I wanted to kiss him so badly. Sister Wanda walked into the lobby and smiled at us. "Call me if you need anything." Sister Wanda informed Cole and Wanda.

Wanda turned to her, still smiling like an idiot. "Thank you." Then without warning, once I released Cole, she grabbed my hand and tenderly pulled me to the door. I struggled not to frown, I did not want to be touched by this bitch! But I swallowed my disgust and allowed myself to be pulled out of the lobby. Alyona followed us and kept to herself.

As we walked outside, we headed to a polished black SUV. Me and Alyona crawled into the backseat as the couple got into the front seats. Then we drove. It was forty five minutes drive to the house. Wanda chattered everyone's ears off. She seemed to have a motor mouth, even when no one is talking, she is. I was annoyed by the sheer sound of her voice. But I remained calm for the entire drive.

Eventually we crossed a long bridge to a remote area. We drove up a narrow road to a beautiful house. It was large and was a contemporary craftsman style house. It was a mixture of wood and gray stones. It had two stories with vast yards of forest. From what I see, the Weiss family is clearly financially well off. We parked into the front and I was eager to get out. I nudged Alyona who was in a trance, gazing at her surroundings. Alyona snapped back into reality and proceeded to get out. I followed her action quickly after.

Cole is a gentlemen and carried all of our bags. I finally got out of the SUV and one of my new daughters darted over to me. Sabrina jubilantly sprinted to me and embraced me. "Welcome home, Mercy!" She chirped sweetly.

I embraced her back with a joyful smile. My maternal instincts bursted and I planted kisses on her forehead. "Thank you, Sabrina!" I chirped back. Sabrina is a little ball of energy, every movement of hers is lively. "Come on! Come on!" She urged me, tugging my arm.

I giggled out of amusement. "I'm coming! I'm coming!" I humored.

Sabrina gave me one good tug that pulled me to the front door. The door was opened a crack and Sabrina feverishly pulled me inside. The house's interior design was beautiful and luxury. It was spacious and tastefully decorated. "I'll give you a tour of the house." She offered.

"Sure." I said excitedly. Alyona was still outside, I glanced out of the window of the wide living room to see Alyona engaging in a long conservation with Wanda. I felt a hint of jealousy for a short moment. Sabrina proceeded to show me the kitchen and living room. When we approached the staircase to the second floor, Morgan exited her bedroom and went downstairs. Sabrina eagerly seized her attention. "Morgan!"

Sabrina excitedly pointed at me. "This is Mercy! She's finally home!"

Morgan lazily shrugged. "Welcome home, I guess." She muttered to me. She clearly did not give a fuck about me.

She pulled her Iphone out of her pant pocket and lost all interest in the conservation. All of her attention was fixated onto her device.

Morgan hurried into the living room. She eyed her Iphone as she sat down on the sofa. Sabrina appeared disappointed that her older sister did not care about her new sister's arrival.

"I have to deal with another Gabby!" I complained in my head.

"Girls!" Wanda called out. I swirled around to see Wanda, Cole, and Alyona entered the house. Alyona carried her own suitcase and walked over to me.

Wanda was still grinning, she was on cloud nine by the additions of her home. "Sabrina, are you giving Mercy a tour?" She asked.

Sabrina gave her Mother a jovial smile. "Yep!" She rejoiced. Wanda smiled. "Good job, mind if I join you?"

Sabrina is open minded. "Sure!" She glanced at Alyona. "She can come too!" Then we all headed upstairs as Cole diligently put up all of the luggages.

Sabrina has the energy of her talkative and energetic biological Mother. "You're going to love it here, Mercy! I always wanted another sister! You are going to love your new room!" She beamed. "Mom and Daddy has a big party for you and Alyona tomorrow!"

I smiled brightly at Sabrina. I loved her personality. She was ebullient and full of life. She was perfect as a daughter for me.

Then Melanie exited her bedroom that she shared with her twin. Her hair was in a ponytail and she was casually dressed. Melanie, unlike her sister, acknowledged my existence. She waved at me cordially. "Hi, Mercy! Hi, Alyona!" She greeted. She extended out a hand to us. "My name is Melanie. Welcome home." She said warmly. We both shook it one by one.

She then turned to her Mother. "Mom, I just got a call from Miss. Keller." She spoke to her Mother respectfully. "She wants me to babysit Danny and Stella today. I wanted to see if I could?"

Wanda nodded her head. "Of course, you can. Tell Miss. Keller that you can." She approved.

Melanie smiled meekly. "Thank you, Mom." She said gratefully. Then she hurried off to her bedroom. I was shocked by how polite and well mannered she was.

We walked down the long hallway. "Cody! Come out and meet your sisters!" Wanda called out. Within seconds, Cody exited his bedroom with a uninterested expression. He appeared distant and cold. Wanda is oblivious and urged him to come to us. "Come on! Meet your sisters!"

Cody trotted to us and extended his hand to me. He scanned me and appeared baffled by my choice of fashion. "Cody." He said bluntly. I shook his hand. I already disliked this little shit. Cody rudely yanked his hand away and turned around to return to his bedroom. He didn't even pay attention to Alyona. Wanda saw this and became upset. "Cody! Do not start, young man!" She scolded sharply.

"Mom, I shook her hand!" Cody pouted.

"You didn't shake Alyona's." Sabrina pointed out.

"I shook her hand!" Cody argued stubbornly. He pointed a stiff finger at me.

Wanda shook her head. "You didn't do the same to Alyona. I want you to hug them, young man. These are your sisters and I want you to act like it!" Wanda rebuked.

Cody sighed in disappointment. "Whatever." He mumbled. He scrolled over to me and shook my hand. Cody then does the same to Alyona. His handshake to me are limp and dull. "Nice to meet you." He said in a condescending voice. He doesn't hug either of us and hurried off into his bedroom.

Wanda exhaled heavily. "Sorry about your brother."

"It's fine." Alyona mumbled. I said nothing. I personally didn't even care the little shit.

All I cared about was my second daughter. Shelia. "Can I see my other sister?" I asked Wanda sweetly.

Wanda's smile turned into a thin line. "Sorry, Shelia is in timeout right now." She informed me. "I should just show you your new bedroom."

Wanda then escorted me to my new bedroom. For once, I had my own private room with a private bathroom of my own. The room was tastefully decorated. The walls are painted light purple, there is a comfortable bed with white linens and bountiful amounts of pillows. On the bed was multiple stuffed animals. There are several dressers and the largest dresser has a vanity mirror. There is a polished bookshelf with dolls and books. Next to the bookshelf was my spacious closet. My bedroom was warm and open.

"This is amazing!" I chirped. I thought about Alyona. "Where will Alyona sleep?"

"Right next to your room!" Wanda beamed. She then escorted all of us to Alyona's bedroom. It was similar to my room. It was painted snow white with a comfortable purple bed in the center. Stuffed toys and dolls were neatly placed onto her bed. She had several dark dressers and a white desk with a mirror. She had a large aquarium that was close to her cramped closet.

"Do you like it?" Wanda asked Alyona.

Alyona smiled. "I do. It's really pretty." Alyona said meekly.

Wanda smiled again. "Well I'm going to make dinner." She announced. "Make yourselves at home." Then she hurried downstairs. I was relieved when she was finally out of my sight. That woman and all of these older children are nothing but pawns to me.

Wanda is my enemy and opponent and I hate every fiber of her being.

Sabrina then tugged my arm. She was eager to play with her new sisters."Come on! I want to show you two the backyard!" She offered.

"I'm coming!" I giggled. I beckoned Alyona to follow us. Sabrina eagerly escorted us to the backdoor and outside. Their backyard was wide and full of space. There was a backyard playground with a swing set. A large treehouse stood in the background.

I saw Shelia playing on the playground. She doesn't notice us at first, but she does, Sabrina gasped. "Shelia, Mommy said you're not allowed outside!" Sabrina scolded.

Shelia glared at Sabrina. "Wanda isn't my Mommy!" Shelia snapped. "Do not tell on me!" She demanded. The intractable child continued to play on the playground, ignoring our presence.

Sabrina is insistent. "Mommy is going to be mad at you!"

"I DON'T CARE!" Shelia shouted out defiantly.

Sabrina pouted, she collected herself and focused on introducing her new sisters. "Shelia, Mercy and Alyona are here!" She said brightly.

Shelia is disinterested and is visibly upset over something.

"Go away, Sabrina!" She hissed. Sabrina appeared hurt. I frowned at my daughter's disrespectful behavior. I had to refine her! I decided to be understanding.

"Don't worry, we won't tell." I reassured her. "Is there something wrong?"

Shelia gave me a perplexed look. She said nothing to me. I wasn't shocked by her reaction. I was a brand new person in her life.

I then walked away from the others and to her. I climbed up the playground to talk to Shelia. I needed to be a understanding and loving Mother! I want to make sure that my daughter knows I will be there for her. But for now, I need to take it slow and easy. Shelia stood stiffly in the corner with her arms crossed. "What?" She hissed sharply. "Who are you?"

I smiled kindly. "I am Mercy." I then added. "Are you alright?"

"No!" Shelia cried. She scowled. "Wanda was being so mean to me!" I put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Well don't worry, I will not tell Wanda you are outside." I reassured her.

Shelia looked at me scrupulously."Thanks."

I smiled broadly. One step at a time. Then there is a sharp gasp. Wanda appeared as if on cue.

Shelia wasn't hidden, me and her were visible. This was the first time the bubbly airhead get angry. She raised her voice, yelling intensely like a military sergeant. "Shelia Weiss! Come down right now!" She barked.

But Shelia is completely defiant. Stubbornly, she stayed in her spot and glared at Wanda. "No! You are not my Mom, Wanda!" She objected.

Wanda was not having it. "Shelia, you better come down right now or else!"

"No! I'm not coming!" Shelia shouted defiantly. "You can't tell me what to do! Leave me alone!"

Sabrina and Alyona both looked uncomfortable. Wanda is beet red in the face. "Shelia! Do not speak to me like that! I will get your Uncle!"

"Get him! I don't care!" Shelia hollered.

Shelia was not having it. "You are not my Mom!" She antagonized. Wanda had enough. Her face was contorted with anger and indignation. She stormed towards the backdoor. "COLE! COLE!" She yelled. She stormed inside, still yelling for her husband. By then Alyona became uncomfortable from all of the tension, she hurried into the house.

"I hate this!" Shelia whined.

I remained calm. "Shelia, just go back inside." I advised her. "You don't want Cole to be mad at you."

Shelia is stubborn as a mule. "Wanda started it. She was being mean to me and keep bossing me around!"

"Just go back inside. Go into your room and wait until Wanda isn't mad anymore."

Shelia shook her head. "No! I don't care if Wanda is mad at me. I just want to play and she keeps being mean to me!"

I felt drained. From this conservation, I quickly learned that Shelia was a rebellious and strong willed child for her age. She has a obstinate mind. "No! I am staying here!" She insisted. Then Cole exited the house. "Shelia!" Sheila's defiant face turned meek within a second. "Yes, Uncle Cole?" She said softly.

"Shelia, you need to listen to Wanda." Cole said strictly. I strongly wanted to defend my daughter, but I chose to stay on the sidelines. Cole was handling Shelia well. Shelia pouted. "No! She keeps bossing me around!" Sheila argued.

"She is the adult, Shelia. Be a big girl and do what she says!" Cole rebuked.

Shelia groaned, but did not wish to bicker with her Uncle. Shelia sluggishly obeyed her Uncle and sulked off of the playground and inside the house.

Sabrina appeared relieved that the drama was over. Her energetic personality flowed through her. "Mercy! Come on, I want to show you and Alyona my bedroom! We could play with dolls and play House!"

Cole shook his head. "No. Sabrina, it is almost time for dinner. Give your sisters a tour after dinner." He told her gently.

I climbed out of the playground, smiling out of pure joy from the sight of Cole. I approached Sabrina and embraced her warmly. "I loved this tour so far!" I chirped.

Sabrina smiled ear to ear.

….

I sat at the dining table with the entire family. Wanda cooked spaghetti and meatballs with a side of mashed potatoes and glasses of orange juice.

A beaming Sabrina sat next to me on my right and a quiet Alyona on my left. Shelia was sulky as she ate her dinner slowly.

It seemed that the tension from earlier has passed. Wanda resumed her cheerful and kind demeanor. She smiled at Shelia as she attempted to make small talk. "So how was school today?"

Shelia pretended that Wanda did not exist. She proceeded to eat her meal. Wanda frowned at Shelia's disrespect.

"Shelia, I am talking to you!" Wanda raised her voice. Shelia looked up once at Wanda and rolled her eyes at her before returning back to her meal.

Wanda clenched her teeth in anger. She looked like she was ready to explode, but she did not want to cause a scene. Cole chimed in to change the subject. "Mercy, Alyona, how do you like your new home?"

I smiled broadly. "I love it!" I said sweetly. Alyona looked Cole directly in the eyes. "It is very nice, sir."

She returned back to her meal. "This meal is very good, Mrs. Weiss." She said softly.

Wanda smiled in response. "Thank you, Alyona." She said gratefully.

Wanda glanced at her older children. "How was school?"

Melanie was the first to speak. "I'm on the path of getting honor roll." Melanie said. Wanda smiled proudly. "Awesome. So how was your babysitting job?"

Melanie beamed. "Amazing. The kids are really good. They always listen to me and even go to bed when I tell them to go to bed." Melanie happily took a bite out of her mashed potatoes. "Mom, can I babysit Mrs. and Mr. Lincoln's kids this weekend? I got an offer from Mrs. Lincoln today."

Wanda nodded her head. "Of course! Great job on the babysitting services!" Wanda praised.

Wanda then turned to Morgan. Morgan is completely disinterested. "Morgan, how was your day?"

Morgan shrugged her shoulders lazily. "Fine," She said in a dull voice. Cody glanced at me and to his Father. He whispered to his Father. "Why is she dressed like that?"

I frowned at the rudeness of the boy.

"Piece of shit." I said silently.

"Cody, be quiet!" Cole rebuked. Cody rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He mumbled.

I can see now that I am a black sheep here. I hate Morgan and Cody. I will not hesitate to kill them. Morgan was a bitch and Cody was a little shit. Melanie, I was neutral towards, she seemed to be a likeable child. Good grades, courteous, diligent, and kind hearted.

But once I seduce Cole, I will remove all of the others out of this household. I glanced at Shelia. She will need refinement. Sabrina is a sweet tempered child that is full of life. I required patience and understanding for Shelia.

Wanda overheard this and wanted to make sure that Cody was disciplined. "Cody, go upstairs." She commanded sternly. Cody exhaled deeply, glaring at his Mother with indignation. "For what?" He hissed.

Wanda narrowed her eyes. "Go to your bedroom!" Wanda raised her voice. "NOW!"

Cody groaned and rolled his eyes. "No. I didn't do anything. All I did was ask a question!" He argued.

Wanda's furious eyes flickered to Cole. Immediately, Cole grabbed his son's arm and tugged him up to his feet. Cody glared at his Father. He mumbled dirty words under his breath. "Fuck this!" He cried. Cody yanked his arm away and stormed upstairs. Once he entered his bedroom, he slammed the door loudly. Cole sighed heavily, clearly exhausted from his rebellious son. "I will be right back." Cole said before heading upstairs.

There was yelling and shouting once Cole entered his son's room. Wanda appeared upset. She clearly wanted our first day in this house to be peaceful and amazing.

It was after dinnertime, peace resumed in the house. Alyona was in her bedroom, laying in her bed, preparing for slumber. I stood by the staircase to watch as Shelia is forced to sit at the dining table. I listened attentively, hidden within the darkness. Wanda sat across from her, her arms crossed angrily. Her voice was authoritative.

Shelia appeared tensed, she clearly did not want to speak to Wanda.

"Shelia, your Uncle and I are adults! You should be listening to us!" She rebuked sharply. "I do not want to hear your mouth ever again! We have Mercy and Alyona now, so don't not misbehave!"

Shelia is fiercely defiant. "You are not my Mom, Wanda! I want to go home!" Shelia protested.

"Do not speak to me like that, young lady!" Wanda scolded. Shelia hopped out of her chair. "You can't tell me what to do!" She hissed.

Wanda became beet red. "Shelia, your Mother gave you to us. You are under our roof, so you do what me and your Uncle Cole say!"

Sheila raised her voice. "No! NO! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME DO ANYTHING!" Shelia shrieked. Then Shelia sprinted away from Wanda.

"SHEILA!" Wanda shouted, but it was too late. Shelia darted up the stairs, speeded pass me and spilled into her bedroom that she shared with Sabrina.

Wanda made no effort to console Sheila. Instead she disappeared into the kitchen, mumbling loudly to herself. I pondered on what to do. Should I speak to Shelia and try to dote over her? Or should I just allow her negative emotions to flow naturally?

I decided that I should console her. Attempt to see what is wrong. I made my way to the closed door and lightly knocked. "Shelia?" I whispered loudly.

The door opened a crack, Sabrina is dressed in pink pajamas with her hair tied into a ponytail. She rubbed her eye tiredly. "What's wrong?" She yawned.

"I want to talk to Shelia," I said gently. Sabrina opened the door completely open and I entered the room. It was cute and open room with light pink walls. Both girls had separate beds, both comfortable and warm. Shelia's bed has purple linens and colorful pillows. Sabrina's is adorably pink with white polka dots. Shelia hid herself under the covers, shutting herself from the world.

Perhaps Shelia heard me coming. Shelia popped out of her covers to see me. "Why are you here?" She demanded sharply. I kept my voice patient and gentle. "I want to talk." I said.

Shelia's eyes are puffy from crying. I smiled warmly. "Shelia, what is wrong?" Shelia sniffled. She is quiet for a moment. She is not inclined to give her troubles to a stranger. But she needs to vent. "I don't want to be here! Wanda is so mean to me! She keeps bossing me around!" She whined.

"Shelia!" Wanda appeared in the doorway. Sabrina is snuggled in bed, struggling to sleep due to all of the commotion.

Shelia glared at her. "What?"

"Mercy, please, go to your bedroom! Shelia, you and I are going to have a talk in the morning! It is bedtime and all of you should be asleep!" Wanda commanded.

I wanted to defend my daughter and object to Wanda's orders. But I had to be obedient and meek Mercy for now. I have to keep up this facade as long as I can. "Yes, Mommy." With that, I made my way out of the room.

Almost instantly Wanda and Shelia began to shout incessantly at each other. Shelia is shrill and hysterical and Wanda is domineering and loud. I hurried to my bedroom and crawled into my bed. The argument is short lived and the house becomes quiet.

I laid in bed, pondering my future here.

 _ **I am still working on The Avenging, it will take longer due to writer block. I have other stories and I am currently working on Infection. So please be patient. Reviews and thoughts.**_


	24. Love and Truth

I gazed at myself in the mirror the next morning. It was very early, the family was just beginning to stir. I was endlessly thankful that I had a small bathroom in my bedroom. I have already applied my makeup and graze. I dressed myself in a charming pink dress with shoe to match. I gazed at my surroundings and smiled proudly to myself. "I am so far away from that rotten cell." I said in Estonian.

It was a warm Saturday. I heard a loud knock on my bedroom door and the ebullient voice of Sabrina. "Mercy! Mercy! Get up, you need to get up! There is a party for you!" Sabrina squealed.

I headed to the door and opened it with a wide smile. Sabrina was bouncing up and down in pure joy. Still in her pink pajamas, Sabrina grabbed my wrist with a toothy grin. "Mom and Daddy got you tons of presents!" Sabrina chirped.

I couldn't contain my joy, Sabrina's cheerful nature is contagious. "I need to get Alyona!" I said urgently. With that, I headed to Alyona's bedroom. Sabrina followed me like a shadow. I knocked on the door. "Aly, good morning!" I called out. It was several seconds when Alyona opened her bedroom door. Her ebony hair was tied into a untidy ponytail, dressed in a shirt and shorts.

"Alyona, there is a party downstairs for you two!" Sabrina rejoiced. She eagerly pointed her finger downstairs with a joyful smile. I grabbed Alyona's hand and escorted downstairs. Sabrina is in front of us, beaming with exburence.

Downstairs, I saw the festive living room. Wanda, Cole, and Melanie all sat in the living room. Melanie saw me first and smiled warmly. Alyona's eyes glimmered with interest. Sabrina sprinted to the living room. Me and Alyona followed. Upon entering the living room, Alyona's eyes lit up. "WHOA!" She gasped at the sight of the piles of presents in the center of the living room.

Alyona broke out into a excited smile. "This is….just...wow!" Alyona beamed.

I felt bliss. Simply being here is a accomplishment for me. I was far away from that cell, far away from the orphanage. I won! I beamed and couldn't contain my joy. My smile is ear to ear. "This is amazing!"

Cole beamed at the sight of me smiling. "Do you like it?"

"I love it!" I squealed. I approached Cole and threw my arms around his neck, giving him a affectionate embrace. "Thank you, Daddy." I whispered into his ears sweetly.

Cole wrapped his arms around me to give me a warm embrace. "No problem, honey." I released Cole, still grinning. Alyona is analyzing the gifts. She grabbed the largest gift with a excited grin. "This is huge!" She exclaimed.

Alyona began to giggle out of joy. The room was filled to the brim with joyful laughter. Alyona began to tear at the wrapping. I sat by Cole, my head laid on his firm shoulder. Wanda is on cloud nine. "You're going to love it, Alyona!"

Alyona completely ripped off all of the wrapping to reveal an easel. Alyona suddenly began to jump up and down with jubilance. She seemed to be lost in innocent excitement. "WOW! THIS IS AMAZING! THANK YOU!" Alyona rejoiced.

I never seen Alyona appear so happy before. Alyona eagerly began to open more and more presents. I eventually joined. A delightful smile grew on my face as I found paints, books, toys, dolls, board games, a diary, a baking set, and a teddy bear.

"I LOVE IT! I LOVE THIS!" I squealed happily. Alyona was engrossed in all of her gifts. She was squealing with excitement and was overflowing with happiness. Sabrina was bouncing up and down with a cheerful smile. Her adorable voice is boisterous and curious. "Do you like it? Do you like it?" Sabrina chirped.

I found myself beaming when I opened a large gift of dresses and makeup. I had two sets of clothes. The outdated dresses I often wear and normal clothes. I smiled delightfully. "THANK YOU!" I held up a frilly white dress, I noticed Wanda beaming at me with a massive smile. "I knew you would love it!" Wanda said happily.

"Sister Wanda kept telling me how you loved these kinds of dresses!" Wanda chirped. I gazed at Wanda. I still hated this woman, but I did appreciate that Wanda brought me more dresses to wear.

"Alyona, how do you like it?"

Alyona was smiling ear to ear as she gazed at her pairs of lovely clothes and dresses. "It's perfect!" Alyona said happily.

Sabrina embraced Alyona. Alyona jerked out of shock, but then she warmly embraced Sabrina back. "I am so happy you like it!"

Full of joy, I threw my arms around Cole, planting sweet kisses on his cheek. "Thank you, Daddy." I whispered happily.

"You're welcome, Mercy." He said. When I released him, Cole had a comical smile on his face. I then realized that his right hand was behind his back. I knew he was hiding a present from me. "What's the matter?" He teased playfully.

"There's a present behind you!" I giggled lightly.

"Is there?" Cole arched his eyebrow with a smirk. Then me and him burst out laughing. He revealed his small present. He handed it to me and I eagerly opened it. It was a silver necklace with a heart. I almost wanted to cry. This was a lovely gift from my Cole.

"I love this, Daddy." I chirped.

I then looked up to the staircase to see Shelia gazing down at us. She was dressed in blue pajamas, her hair is messy and knotty. I smiled at her gently. Shelia's face was hardened.

"Shelia?" Upon hearing Wanda's voice, Shelia became rigid. I glanced at Wanda. She did not appear happy anymore. She frowned. "Go back to your room, young lady! I have already told you!" She rebuked sharply. Shelia turned her head away from Wanda in protest. She only spoke to Cole. "Uncle Cole, can I come down there, please?"

Cole looked at his niece with compassion. "Sure, Sweetheart." He agreed. Wanda's mouth dropped open in shock. "COLE!"She gasped. She shot her husband a stern look. "No, Cole! She is in trouble!" She objected.

Cole's eyes widened. "Come on, it's a new day. Can't hold this against her. She should get to know Mercy and Alyona." He suggested.

But Wanda is stubborn. "I am sorry, but Shelia disrespected me last night!" Shelia and Wanda exchanged a dirty look to each other. Shelia lost her temper immediately. "I HATE YOU, WANDA!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. Then she sprinted to her bedroom and slammed the door as hard and loud as she could.

Cole is eager to end the tension. "Wanda, we have an appointment, remember?" He reassured. Wanda exhaled deeply. She clenched her teeth in frustration. "Cole, please talk to Shelia."

Cole shook his head. "Let's just stay calm. It is early in the morning. You know how Shelia can be. We need to just relax and have fun today. Come on, give Shelia another chance and let her have some fun. Today is the day to celebrate!"

Wanda exhaled again and said nothing.

"Just give Shelia some space and just let her cool off." Cole advised. Wanda nodded in agreement.

The day is pleasant afterwards. Shelia paid no attention to Wanda, acting as if she did not exist. Me and Alyona sat in my bedroom, chattering among each other.

Alyona appeared flabbergasted. "I can't believe they gave us so many presents!" Alyona exclaimed.

I smiled. "I told you they were nice people." I beamed. I put a warm hand on her shoulder.

Alyona nodded. "I hope they stay nice." She muttered.

I heard Sabrina's gleeful giggling from downstairs. Morgan was talking loudly on her cell phone. Melanie was babysitting and Cody was isolated in his bedroom. It was a nice and quiet afternoon. Then Shelia's shrill protest broke the silence. "NO! NO! NO! I DON'T WANT TO GO TO THERAPY! NO! NO! NO!" Shelia screamed.

Wanda was shouting like a sergeant. "Shelia, do not speak to me like that!" She hollered. Me and Alyona were silent, curious, I made my way to the bedroom door, the walls were not soundproof. "COLE, COME UP HERE!" She yelled. I heard Cole's instant footsteps rushing up the stairs. "Shelia." He raised his voice sternly. The commotion quietened immediately. "Enough, Shelia. You are going. Don't fight today." He scolded.

"NO!" Shelia cried, then I heard rapid feet sprinting and the slam of a door.

Wanda sounded frustrated. "Cole!" She exclaimed. "We need to talk to Dr. Wilson about her mood swings!"

"Mood swings?" I echoed softly. Does Shelia suffer from mental illness? She clearly had behavioral issues. I felt pity for the child.

"We will." Cole assured calmly.

Wanda was still upset. "I really wished Gemma told us about her daughter's conditions beforehand!" I heard the couple walk towards the Shelia's direction.

"Gemma didn't really have much of a chance to tell us." Cole said.

"She should have told us! She should have told us that Shelia suffers with alot of illness! It would have been a great heads up!" Wanda vented.

Cole is still calm. "Wanda, calm down. Getting angry isn't going to do anything."

Wanda exhaled. "You're right. But I am just so frustrated!"

Alyona began to distract herself by twirling her hair.

Shelia put up a fight. Screaming, yelling, and shouting, Shelia was dragged downstairs by a tired Cole and a disgruntled Wanda.

Once Shelia was gone, the house was silent. I grew curious every passing second. I wanted to know EVERYTHING about my daughters. I wanted to know how to manage her issues. I desired documents and records. I hopped off of my bed.

"What's wrong?" Alyona asked concerned.

"I want to look around." I told her. I didn't want to go alone. I needed a trusty lookout. "Come on!" I urged.

"Alyona, come with me."

Alyona gave me a curious look. "Why?"

I have no patience to wait, I opened the bedroom door and beckoned Alyona to follow. I headed out the door and to the Master bedroom. I heard Alyona's light footsteps behind me. I scanned my surroundings. Sabrina was downstairs and no one was in sight.

Alyona appeared worried. "Mercy, why do you want to go look into their bedroom for?"

I kept my voice low as I inched further to the door. My hand grabbed the doorknob. "I want to know more about this family. I just need you to make sure no one sees me?"

Alyona arched her an eyebrow. "Why does it matter if someone sees you? Are you going to steal something?" She probed.

I shook my head. "No. Just looking around." Then I opened the door. The Master bedroom was large and wide. Beautifully designed with a massive, comfortable bed. Alyona didn't follow my orders and followed me inside the bedroom. I assumed that she was curious as well. Alyona is smart and closed the door behind her tightly.

Alyona turned around and gave me a serious look. "Okay, we look around and put everything back afterwards."

I nodded in agreement and smiled. I was a bit upset that Alyona did not listen to me, but I was happy that she was going along with my deed.

I began to scavenged through the dressers and the large desk in the corner of the room. I rummaged through business papers and bills.

Alyona scanned the room, looking under the bed and digging in dressers I haven't got to.

It was a full minute when Alyona seized my attention. "MERCY!" She whispered loudly. I turned around to see Alyona holding stacks of papers in her hands. Her eyes are lit with interest. "I found stuff about Shelia! I think I also found Wanda's journal!"

I scurried over to Alyona, full of curiosity. I hit the jackpot! I thought to myself gleefully. A smile grew on my face as Alyona showed me the leather journal in her possession. It was leather and light brown, written in small black letters: Wanda Weiss. I felt pride upon holding the journal. All of her secrets and personal turmoils is in my hands. I could exploit this woman!

Then Alyona put her hand on the front cover of the journal, preventing me from opening it. I looked at her with a stiff expression. She had guilt printed on her face. "Should we do this? Isn't this an invasion of privacy?" Alyona bit her lower lip. "This seems wrong." She added.

I shook my head. I desired to know everything about Wanda and Shelia. I had to mold Alyona into being my helper. "Aly," I made my voice gentle and sweet. "Remember how you said that you were afraid that they were not nice people?"

Alyona appeared perplexed. "Yes…But what does that have to do…" I cut her off. I gestured to the journal. "We could know all of her secrets." I urged.

Alyona's eyes glinted. "I guess you're right." She whispered. "But just a peek...maybe.." She gulped. Alyona removed her hand and I promptly opened the book. Me and Alyona's eyes are glued to the pages. Alyona scooted close to me to get a better look.

I read the first page. Wanda wrote many mundane events in her journal. Nothing interesting. I kept flipping through pages after pages to find something juicy.

"This fucking thing is just full of mundane shit!" I complained in my head silently. I frowned upon seeing all of the trivial and mundane shit in this broad's journal.

Then I found something. Yes! In the near end of the journal, I discovered Wanda's deep and darkest secrets.

The pages are not always dated. She would list the month and the day, but not the year. She wrote a page about Shelia. Months before the adoption.

"Whoa!" Alyona whispered in shock. Her eyes are scanning the private words.

 _November 18_

 _Gemma is locked up and somehow managed to get a sentence for 3 months for child maltreatment. I thought she promised to clean up her act years ago! Me and Cole had to drive up to Colorado to pick up Shelia._

The passage is short, but informative. I flipped the page to see the update.

 _December 9_

 _I have no idea how to handle Shelia. I really wish that Gemma got her the help she needed. I wished Gemma told us. I never thought about how to handle a child with RAD, (Reactive Attachment Disorder), bipolar and ODD, (Oppositional Defiant Disorder). Gemma told me and Cole that Shelia was always difficult, but damn!_

 _Fortunately Shelia is going to her therapist now. We got the medications she needs. But her moods are just difficult._

 _Her behavior in general is just infuriating. Talking back, the disrespect, the rudeness, the screaming, the crying, and all of the arguing. It drives me insane. Thankfully Cole knows how to deal with Shelia. I think he is the only person who knows how other than the therapist._

 _I've been keeping a close eye on Shelia. Her behavioral issues are out of control. Every single time she opened her mouth, she would lie. She also has sticky fingers, I had to resort to hiding the snacks because she would steal them and stuff them under her bed. Shelia told me she hates me again._

 _I just don't know. I think the therapy is helping. But I think Shelia strongly dislikes me personally. Me and her has this strained relationship, I feel so stupid arguing with a little girl. But sometimes, her mouth can be very difficult to listen to. Cole is too nice, he can be stern, but Shelia knows how to butter Cole up._

"Wow." Was all I could uttered. Alyona appeared shocked. She raised an eyebrow. "What is RAD?"

"It is a attachment disorder. Some of these disorders usually come from abuse." I explained.

Alyona looked at me as if I knew all of the answers. "Even bipolar?"

"No. That's different." I said. I did not know that a child could have this much disorders. I felt more and more compassion for Shelia. I suffer from mental illness as well. Shelia will hopefully never be bad as me, but I know the pain of suffering illnesses. Unlike me, Shelia is on medications and has proper therapy. I only have my limited self control and willpower. Compared to me, Shelia has a better mental state than me.

I continued to turn the pages until I discovered something dark secret in Wanda Weiss's past.

"Holy shit!" I gasped. Alyona's eyes lit up with shock from my foul language. "What?"

I pointed my finger to the explosive reveal. This secret was something I never expected from a family like this. I attentively read a passage from nine months ago.

 _It's been six years since Sabrina drowned in that pool. I should have never trusted that irresponsible nanny! I was so upset and angry. I did horrible things after her death. Tried to drink the pain away, but that made it worse. The months after her death was terrible, unbearable. Cole and I blamed each other, fought all the time. I still remember the day that I filed the divorce papers after a heated argument._

 _I still can't believe we didn't divorce, we were so close. I already had the kids and a house to live in. Cole kept the original house and his sister kept him company._

 _Cole even got a girlfriend when we were separated. Some prissy bitch that I designed clothes for one time._

 _I can't describe how furious I was at Cole for moving on so quickly. The divorce wasn't even finalized yet and he already had a bitch in bed! I was just insulted. But I still loved him. Thankfully they broke up two months before the divorce was finalized and me and Cole got back together. I still remember how I discovered I was pregnant again. I was terrified. I felt guilty replacing Sabrina. But I wanted to honor her somehow. So I chose to name Sabrina after her older sister. A great way to remember by. Me and Cole went to marriage counseling and got a new house with no swimming pool here. I am so happy that we managed to make up and be a happy family again._

 _One day, I would like to extend my family to give my love and compassion to other unfortunate children._

I scanned all of Wanda's darkest moments. For a woman so beautiful and well off, she had deep depth to her. Her writing is passionate.

I was completely engrossed. Alyona was utterly uncomfortable, the secrets she learned was too much for her to comprehend. "I'm going to my room." She said as she promptly made her way to the bedroom door.

I was so fixated on this journal I didn't notice Alyona exiting the bedroom.

I flipped through more pages until I had no pages left. That was it. I was disappointed that I couldn't find more dirt on Wanda. But I had enough for now. A near divorce, a decreased child, drinking issues, Shelia's issues. All juicy subjects that I could exploit in the future. I decided to place the journal into its respective place. I leaped to my feet and hurried out of the bedroom.

"Mercy! ALYONA!" Sabrina sprinted upstairs to me. I only stared at her. I felt dirty knowing all of the secrets I know. To know that Sabrina is named after her deceased sister is morbid. Once the bubbly child wrapped her arms around me, a delightful smile grew on my face. I dismissed all of my thoughts at that moment and only focused on her. "Let's go into my room and play! Get Alyona!" She doesn't wait. Sabrina darted to Alyona's room and barged inside. "Alyona! Alyona! Come on!" She beckoned eagerly.

Alyona walked out of her bedroom, Sabrina grabbed her wrist and she tugged her forward. "Come on! Come on!" Sabrina squealed. She pointed her free hand with her bedroom. I hurried to her bedroom. Alyona entered the room with Sabrina. Sabrina immediately grabbed a pillow off of her bed and tossed it at Alyona playfully. Alyona is shocked at first, but then slowly smiled.

"Come on! Pillow fight!" Sabrina beamed. I couldn't help myself from containing my joy. I grabbed a pillow and hit her with it. I am giggling out of happiness. Alyona took time to decide to join in. Before I knew it, we were all engaging in a jubilant pillow fight.

The room was filled with laughter and giggles.

….

Wanda and Cole brought a sullen Shelia home two hours later. Wanda immediately began to make dinner. I stared down at Shelia and Cole from downstairs. I saw a diligent Melanie, who returned from her babysitting job, cleaning up all of the wrappings in the living room. Morgan sat at the table, her eyes glued on her Iphone. Cody was playing a video game on his Xbox in the living room, he sat on the couch, playing his game awhile Melanie cleaned.

Shelia hurried upstairs to her bedroom in a haste. She bypassed me and closed the door behind her.

I was seconds away from heading to Shelia's bedroom.

"Mercy! Sabrina! Alyona! Come downstairs for dinner!" Wanda yelled. I decided to give Shelia's space. I did not want her to lash out at me. Shelia needs space, not me being overbearing. I hurried downstairs to the dining table. "SHELIA! DINNER IS ALMOST READY!" Wanda shouted.

Once the other children make it to the dining table. Wanda appeared annoyed. She shot a glare at Cole. "Why isn't Shelia down here yet?" She served dinner, alfredo pasta and orange juice.

Cole exhaled. He remained composed. "I will get her." He said, getting out of his chair. "Shelia!" He raised his voice as he went upstairs. "Dinner is ready." His voice is firm, but soft.

"I'm not hungry!" Shelia shouted back.

Cole insisted. "You need to eat. You haven't eaten dinner yet. Come on, Shelia."

Shelia is stubborn for two minutes, refusing to eating. Cole had to coax and convince her to come out of her bedroom.

Shelia and Cole both headed downstairs to the dining table.

I don't know what Cole said to Shelia, but Shelia was silent. She didn't look at Wanda once. The dinner is silent and awkward.

After dinner, Shelia isolated herself in her bedroom. It was time for bed. I crawled into my bed and pondered deeply to myself.

All of the secrets and reveals I have learned burst in my mind. I needed to establish a maternal relationship with Shelia soon. I already had a tangible relationship with Sabrina.

I laid comfortably in my warm bed. I daydreamed about establishing my role here. I imagined how I would remove Wanda and her other children out of this household. Only in due time.

 _ **I am writing my other stories right now. Multitasking with each stories. Will have another chapter of Mercy and working on other stories. Reviews and thoughts.**_


	25. Constance

**I have changed the month to January, for the story to take place in Winter.**

"Goddammit!" I mumbled in my Hungarian. I glared at myself in the mirror. "I can't believe I have to do this all over again!" I complained. Today was my first day of school. My second time in third grade. I examined my face, my face painted with youthful makeup. My golden hair was primly curled and glossy.

I must endure the misery of repeating the third grade again!

On the bright side, at least Alyona would be going to school with me. Thankfully me, my two little daughters, and Alyona are all going to attend the same elementary school.

I gazed at myself in the mirror with a frown. I anticipated constant torment and bullying when I enter the school. I stood out like a sore thumb with my frilly, outdated dresses and ribbons. Today, I wore a white frilly dress with a matching ruffled skirt. I desired the day I will able to dress normally.

Then there was a light knock on the door. I heard the sweet voice of Alyona. "Mercy?"

I headed over to my bedroom door and opened it a crack. Alyona appeared at my doorway, her hair was tied into a long ponytail. She was dressed in a cute black skirt and a hot pink pink long sleeved blouse.

She looked adorable as a button. "Are you ready?" She asked me in a small voice. I could sense the nervousness in her.

I forced out a cheerful smile. "Yeah! This is going to be fun!" I exclaimed. Alyona clasped her hands, biting her lower lip. "I guess." She whispered.

"MERCY! ALYONA! TIME TO GO!" Wanda shouted from downstairs. I felt my hatred for her boiling in my chest. Just her voice infuriated me. "Fuck you! Fuck you, Wanda!" I screamed in my head.

But my outer voice was meek and innocent. "Coming, Mommy!" I shouted back.

Alyona inhaled and exhaled deeply. "Yeah.." She mumbled under her breath. I grabbed her hand gingerly and led her downstairs.

As we headed downstairs, I saw the rest of the Weiss's children waiting downstairs.

"Oh my God.." Cody looked at me with great annoyance. Morgan spitefully giggled at me. She took a quick snap of me on her cell phone.

Melanie witnessed this, gasping sharply. "MORGAN!" She raised her voice. Her voice was brimful of strictness. "DELETE THAT NOW!" She commanded. Morgan rolled her eyes. "Shut up!" She hissed.

"MORGAN!" Wanda's voice boomed, making Morgan to flinch from the intensity. "Delete that picture now! Do not send it to anyone!"

Morgan rolled her eyes and evaded her Mother's blistering glare. Angrily mumbling under her breath, she looked down at her phone. "Deleted, happy?" She snapped at her twin sister and Mother. Wanda was not having it. She pointed a stern finger to the front door. "Car now!" She barked. Morgan huffed and hurried out the door.

"Dumb bitch." I said in my head. Guess I am dealing with another Gabby.

Sabrina's eyes lit up with delight. "WOW! I LOVE YOUR DRESS!" She complimented.

I smiled broadly. I did love Sabrina's sweet nature. (God, I miss her so much!) "Thank you." I said softly.

Melanie chimed in, brightly and happily. "Wow, that dress is so adorable!" She chirped. Wanda was smiling ear to ear, then I am blinded by a sudden flash of a camera. I blinked and saw Wanda taking me and Alyona's picture.

"Awesome, girls! Happy for your first day of school?" Wanda grinned.

My hands turned into tight fists. "Yes, Mommy." I replied. Wanda turned to Alyona.

Alyona gulped. "Yeah." She said sheepishly.

Wanda nodded excitedly like an idiot. "Come on! Come on!" She urged. We all went outside to the SUV. Sheila was already sitting the car with the car door wide open. She was seating in the backseat, she was occupied with homework to notice me sitting next to her.

I looked down at her homework. It was a math sheet filled with sixteen questions of division and multiplication. Sheila was a diligent child. I watched her as she swiftly wrote down the calculations of most of the problems on the paper.

Wanda got into the driver seat. Melanie was sitting in the passenger seat. Melanie turned around in her seat to look at me and Alyona.

"Are you two ready?" Melanie cooed. I feigned a ebullient attitude. "Yeah!" I squealed.

Melanie was a kind soul. "Well you can talk to me if you have any problems. I know two kids that really wants to be your friend!" She said.

Wanda started the car and began to drive. "That's really nice, Melanie." Wanda praised.

Melanie beamed. "Thanks," She stared Alyona in the eyes. "Their names are Mary Kate Johnson and Jillian Campbell. They are really nice and they told me that they want to sit with you two at lunch."

Alyona gave Melanie a small grateful smile. "Thanks." She whispered.

I gave Melanie a genuine smile. I did like her. She seemed to be a tenderhearted soul. If Mercy was a real person, I would cherish her as a older sister. Sabrina was in the second backseat with Morgan and Cody. "I'll sit with you two too!" She declared.

"Thank you." I chirped.

Alyona was silent as a mouse. She was near the window and stared out of the window for the rest of the ride.

"Don't worry, Alyona. You will have fun." Wanda encouraged. Alyona doesn't remove her eyes from the window. "I hope so." She muttered in a soft voice.

"I am." Wanda reassured. Then with that we pulled into the parking lot of the school. When we parked, Wanda beamed."We're here!" She rejoiced.

Then me, Alyona, Sheila, and Sabrina all exited the car. I stared the massive brick building. Waves of children flooded the parking lot.

Sheila was in a rush, she impatiently ran towards the school entrance. Wanda gasped sharply when she noticed Sheila running to the school. "NO! NO!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. Sheila flinched and stopped in her tracks. Like a whirlwind, she spun around with a blistering glare. "What?" She shouted.

Wanda beckoned her to come back to the car. "Picture time!" She pulled out her camera out of her thick purse. Sheila looked around, as if debating if it was smart to just run off. But Sheila sullenly walked back to us.

Wanda was too happy to notice Sheila's annoyance. She ordered all of us to stand in a row to take a photo.

"Alyona and Mercy's first day of school!" She exulted. "SMILE!" A beautiful smile was printed on my face when she took the picture.

Sheila then sprinted straight for the school seconds later. "SHEILA!" Wanda hollered. But Sheila didn't stop and spilled inside of the school.

Wanda exhaled wearily, she let this incident roll down her back. "Have a good time, girls!"

"Yes, Mommy!" I beamed. I grabbed Alyona's cold hand and led her to the school. Sabrina was following us like a shadow. But since Sabrina was in the first grade, she had to go into a different part of the building.

Sheila was in second grade and was on the same floor as third grade. But Sheila was nowhere to be found. Me and Alyona were lost in a sea of new faces.

Alyona kept close to me, her eyes was shimmering with timidity. Children stared at me. I heard cruel giggling and whispers around me. I knew they were gawking at my outdated outfit.

"I think we're in Class 219." Alyona told me. She pointed to the classroom down the hall. We walked through the sea of children to the classroom. The classroom was wide and open. It was tastefully decorated with beige colored wall. There were at least ten children already in the classroom, they were sitting in their desks, talking among each other. My teacher, Mrs. Hicks sat at her desk, scribbling on paper. She was a middle aged African American woman with curly black hair and brown eyes.

When she saw me and Alyona, she gave us a maternal smile. "Hi, Alyona, hi, Mercy." She greeted us. She got up from her desk and extended her hand to me. I promptly shook it, looking her directly in the eyes. "Pleasure to meet you." I said politely.

She then extended her hand to Alyona. "Welcome." Mrs. Hicks smiled. Alyona shook her hand limply. She said nothing out of shyness.

I took a step to the desks, I wanted to sit in the back. But Mrs. Hicks had other plans. "Wait, we need to introduce you two to the class."

I feigned a cheerful smile to hide my disdain. I stood next to the teacher, flashing all students with a broad smile.

When all of the students gathered inside of the classroom, Mrs. Hicks introduced me and Alyona. "Class, this is Mercedes Weiss, but she likes to be called Mercy." She introduced me first. I flashed the class a beautiful smile and I even forced myself to give the class a friendly wave. I eyed all of the children, trying to see who was friend or foe. All eyes were drawn to my odd fashion choice. Then my attention is glued to a petulant brat with straight light brown hair and brown eyes. I would learn that her name was Marissa. She sat in the front and stared at me with a cocky grin.

"Welcome to class, Mercy. I hate to break it to you, but your dress went out of style in the 1600s." Marissa mocked. The class erupted into cruel laughter.

"Marissa!" Mrs. Hicks scolded. Marissa did not appear afraid, she was still giggling among her friends. I glared coldly at this brat. I will not be tormented by snotty brats!

"Enough, stop!" Mrs. Hicks commanded. The laughter ceased after a few seconds. "Marissa, do not make jokes like that!" She rebuked.

I smiled at the teacher's defense of me. Alyona appeared overwhelmed. She stared at the floor with innocent timidity.

"Class, this Alyona Weiss! Her and Mercy are our new exchange students!" Mrs. Hicks announced.

Students began to cruelly snicker. "So we have little Miss. Victorian Princess and the Mouse girl!" I heard Marissa mocked to her friends behind her. The children snickered and gawked at me and Alyona, as if we were freaks.

Alyona, blushing profusely, made a haste to the first desk she saw and sat in it. I shot a defensive glare at everyone who was laughing and I sat down right next to Alyona.

The laughing ceased and Mrs. Hicks started class. I was burning up with anger. I tightened my fists, struggling to keep calm. How dare these brats mock and tease my little angel? I wanted to hurt Marissa badly. She needed a lesson.

But sadly I know I can't. I can't afford to be violent and be caught red handed. So with strong willpower, I allowed the incident to roll down my back.

Lunchtime was not better. The lunchroom was booming with noises from the rowdy children.

I never found the girls Melanie was talking about. Me and Alyona sat alone at a empty table.

"Shit." I commented on my cold meatloaf.

I glanced at Alyona, she was miserably picking at her food.

"Alyona, what's wrong?" I asked her. "Marissa?" I added.

Alyona nodded. "Yes, I….I….don't know what I did for her to make fun of me." She confided. Emotional tears swelled up in her eyes. "What did I do?" She asked me.

I felt pity for this child. She was a sensitive soul with low confidence. I smiled at her. "Nothing, Marissa is just a bully." I told her with a smile.

Alyona sighed heavily. "I know. But this is the first day of school and everyone already hates us!" Alyona wiped tears from her cheeks.

I put a warm hand on her shoulder. "It is okay, I promise. Ignore them, Aly." I advised. Alyona inhaled and collected herself.

"You're right." She whispered submissively. She gave me a small smile. "Thanks." After lunchtime, it is recess. There I was finally able to see Sabrina.

Sabrina was energetically playing on the playground, chattering with her many friends. Sheila was nowhere to be found. I briskly walked to Sabrina. She was happily playing on the monkeybars with her friends. Her little friends noticed me and giggled at my fashion. I ignored the little brats and focused on my daughter.

When Sabrina's eyes laid on us, she was filled with delight. "Mercy! Alyona!" She beamed. "Wanna play with me?"

One little girl with blonde hair stuck out her tongue at me. "Ew..no!" She cried. "She's a weirdo!"

Sabrina frowned. "Mercy isn't weird. She just likes dresses!" She defended.

Another little girl that is African American cruelly giggled at me. "She looks like she is ready for Halloween! She looks like that weirdo Constance girl!" She mocked rudely.

Sabrina became upset. She sat on top of the monkeybars, she glared at the African American girl. "Stop it!" She cried. "Stop being mean to Mercy!"

I rolled my eyes at the cruelty of the children. I can't believe I'm being bullied by second graders.

Her friends ignored her and continued to tease me. I tuned them out, I would not allow myself to be tormented like this.

"Where is Sheila?" I asked.

Sabrina appeared sad. "She's in the office."

My eyes widened with shock. "What?" I gasped. Sabrina nodded. "Yeah she was really upset and started yelling at the teacher. She was screaming at another girl and the teacher told her to leave the classroom. Sheila just argued with her and she made her go to the office." Sabrina sighed.

I frowned. Sheila is going to be a challenge for me. Argumentative, stubborn, defiant. I have no idea how to deal with a child like this. This is the only thing I can understand Wanda on. Morgan is a bitch, but Wanda can lay down the law. Melanie is the golden child, so Wanda barely had to yell at her. Cody is a dick going through puberty, and Sabrina is a sweetheart. Sheila has mental issues, so parenting must be difficult for Wanda. Cole was a gentle soul that could tame the unbridled defiance in Sheila.

I must be like Cole. Clearly Wanda's method is not working. "I will talk to her." I vowed.

Sabrina shook her head and dropped off of the monkey bars. "When Sheila is really mad, it's best to leave her alone. If you don't, she scream at you." She warned.

I nodded.

"GO AWAY!" The blonde girl hollered with a dumbass smirk. "HALLOWEEN PRINCESS, GO AWAY!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. Other children looked at me and Alyona.

Sabrina glared at the girl. "Stop it! Or I will tell the teacher on you!" She threatened, she pointed a strict finger in the girl's friend. "Stop bullying my big sister!" The blonde girl huffed and ran away.

I smiled at my child's selfless action. I loved how she is defending her Mommy.

I walked away to give Sabrina privacy. I wanted to go inside, I had no interest in playing. Alyona followed me like a shadow. We both sat on a bench near the opening of the school.

Then it happened. The fateful moment I met Constance. A young girl caught my eye. A girl that was hauntingly my height and size wearing an outdated dress. She wore a frilly, soft yellow dress with a white ruffled skirt. Dark tights and Mary Jane slippers. Her curly hair was a chestnut brown, like the bark of an oak tree. She had porcelain skin, high cheekbones, and brown eyes. She wore black ribbons around her neck and wrists. The girl was wandering the playground alone, she stuck out like a sore thumb.

She reminded me of me. When the girl aimlessly walked towards us, me and her met eyes. She appeared shocked, her eyes studied me as she passed by. She flashed me a beautiful smile and gave me a affable wave. She doesn't stop to talk to me and kept walking around the playground.

Alyona was gawking at her. "Wow, she looks just like you, Mercy." She remarked.

"Yeah. She does." I mumbled. I felt like I was looking at myself in the mirror. My bafflement was short lived and I dismissed the girl in my thought.

Then I caught something else in my eye. "Shit." I muttered lowly. Marissa with her flock of friends rolled over to me and Alyona with stupid grins on their faces.

Marissa was visibly cocky, with a toothy grin. "Hi, Mercy!" She spoke in a mocking tone. "I heard you're from Estonia? Do they have a retard camp there?"

Three girls stood behind her, giggling and chuckling like idiots.

"Good one!" A dark haired girl cheered. I rolled my eyes. "Go away!" I ordered. This just made Marissa even more cocky. "Getting upset, Mercy?" She arched up an eyebrow. "What's wrong, Halloween girl? Getting mad that no one is going to go to your cross dressing party?"

The girls exploded into laughter.

I gritted my teeth, I did my best to restrain my rage. I balled my fists as I shook with anger. Then Marissa's eyes darted to a sheepish Alyona. She preyed on Alyona because she knew Alyona was easy. "What?" Marissa teased.

"Cat got your tongue, Mutey?" She taunted.

Alyona blushed profusely. "No...no...I have nothing…...to say.." She muttered. Marissa leaned in and screwed up her face. "What did you say? Talk louder? Why are you mumbling?" She teased coldly. Alyona lowered her eyes to the ground.

I shot up from the bench, with unbridled rage in my chest. "You fucking bitch!" I shouted directly in her face. Marissa took a step back with a shocked expression. She did not think I would react like this.

Then Marissa's confidence resumed. A prideful smile formed on her face. "Shut the fuck up!" Marissa snarled.

"NO! LEAVE HER ALONE! OR ELSE!" I growled darkly.

Marissa giggled. "Or what?" Marissa challenged. I took a aggressive step towards her.

Alyona got up from the bench and grabbed my wrist to restrain me. "No! Stop, let's just go." Alyona begged urgently. "Come on, Mercy!"

I glanced at her, then back at Marissa. I wanted to batter this brat black and blue. But my reasonable side forced me to listen to Alyona.

Marissa rolled her eyes and laughed. "Stupid bitch!" She mocked me. Then me and Alyona hurried away from them. Once recess was over, I had to go to the bathroom. I asked Mrs. Hicks to go the restroom, leaving Alyona alone in the classroom.

When I entered the bathroom, I found Constance applying her makeup in the mirror. She gasped when she saw me in the reflection. No other soul was in the restroom.

Constance turned to me, I raised an eyebrow of confusion at her smirk.

"Hello, Mercy." She had a sweet Russian accent. But her sugary voice did not match with her sly smirk. I looked at her as if she had two heads.

Constance took a step closer to me. Her vibrant brown eyes studied me from head to toe. "What's your name?" Her sweet voice dampened into a serious tone. Her eyes narrowed at me. I felt my stomach churn. I had no idea what was going on.

"Excuse me?" I said flabbergasted. "You just said my name." I pointed out.

Constance rolled her eyes. She looked at me as if I was stupid. "Your real name." She insisted.

I felt great pressure building within my mind. My legs turned to stone, my heart thundered in my chest. I questioned my fear. Why the fuck am I clamming up like this? I examined Constance. She looked like a normal little girl. But there's something about her that frightened me. Her eyes were cold as ice, completely devoid of humanity. No childlike innocent emitted from her. I glanced at her makeup case, then back at her.

Constance eyed me like a hawk. "What's wrong, Mercy? Forget your real name?" She taunted.

I felt chills up my spine, I took a cautious step towards the stall. "I….I..um…" My voice trailed off as I opened the nearest stall door. I felt disturbed by this girl. I wanted to be far away from her.

Constance doesn't move from her spot. Once I'm in the stall, Constance raised her voice. "I know who you are. I know what you're doing."

My heart dropped, my bladder nearly leaked. I forced myself to remain calm. "What?" I gasped.

"Come on, I know who you are." Constance teased. "Just admit it."

Anger grew in my chest, all of my confusion was replaced with frustration. "Who are you?" I hissed.

Her voice echoed through the restroom. Her voice is firm and stern. No sweetness or tenderness resided in her tone. "You are Alanna Petrov." She said.

NO! NO! NO! NO! WHAT THE FUCK? NO! NO! I wanted to scream, kick, and cry at this moment. Livid emotions boiled inside of me. With a full bladder, I shot up from the toilet and sprinted out of the stall. I ran so fast that I slammed myself face first into the wall.

I felt sheer terror from having my real name. My lungs tightened, preventing air from entering my lungs. I swallowed heavy amounts of air to feed my lungs with oxygen. I was sweating beads at this point. I was bursting with anxiety. My composure has vanished.

Gasping for air, I turned to a cocky Constance. I knew that this girl was not normal. I feared that this brat was going to reveal my identity. I would be hauled away to prison.

Constance rolled her eyes at my anxiety. "Calm down. I'm not going to tell." She reassured. I was not convinced. I wanted to run out of the restroom. Away from this girl. I considered killing the girl right here and there, but I would be caught red handed either way.

"Look, I will not tell anyone your secret." Constance said softly. Then a radiant smile grew on her face. "I'll tell you my secret." She offered.

I managed to collect myself despite my stress. I was afraid that some child would walk into the restroom. I stared directly into Constance's eyes. "Secret?" I breathed.

Constance took a confident step close to me. She spoke to me in Russian. "I am Tatiana Volkov." She revealed.

My eyes widened. Is she like me? I just stared at her in baffled silence.

Constance seemed to have read my mind. "Yes, Alanna. I'm like you. Dressing up like a child and pretending to be an orphan." She said bluntly.

I spoke in Russian as well. I dropped my facade because no child could know this. "Why are you telling me this?" I demanded skeptically.

Constance smirked. "Because I've been stuck here with these little tots all day, now I see you. Someone who is just like me. I knew who you were. I heard of you. You're that woman who was locked up in the Vaarne institution. I heard about your disorder and I heard that you escaped."

I raised an eyebrow at that. My trial was popular for a couple of months. My facade of Mercy was never revealed to the court. I was charged with murdering my clients. I did dress up like Mercy, but I was playing a nameless little girl who was just eyecandy to pedophiles.

I scrambled my mind, trying to remember if I ever heard of this female.

"I murdered several men before I was caught. I was constantly on the run. I was with a family for a short time, but then things did not work out." Constance admitted. I was shocked by this girl's openness.

Time seemed to slow down.

"I have a hormonal disorder. Hypopituitarism. I'm 32 years old. You're 30, I believe?"

"Yes." I breathed. My heart thundered in my chest. "Why are you telling me this? What do you want?"

"I found someone that is just like me. I have nothing against you." Constance admitted. "I just wanted to make sure that me and you know each other's secrets."

I nodded, a solemn look printed on my face. I was still not convinced. This girl has my darkest secret in her hands. She could blackmail me and make me do whatever she wanted. This woman is a madwoman.

I still had to pee. Constance smiled at me brightly. "I just want to be good buddies with you." She told me. "You don't tell my secret, I won't tell yours. Just remember that." Constance said firmly.

I went to the stall and did my business. My head was swirling wildly from all of this. "Bye, Mercy!" Then I heard the restroom door close.

When I'm done, I felt like I'm going to faint. "It's okay..it's okay.." I whispered to myself excessively. I thought about Mrs. Hicks. I have been gone for a long time. I washed my hands and hurried off to the classroom.

I was utterly silent for most of the school day. I didn't see Constance for the rest of the day. When Wanada picked me and the girls from school, I was quiet as a mouse for the whole ride. Ignoring her curious questions of my first day. Melanie was chattering with her Mother, happily talking about her day. Sabrina sat in the backseat, chattering with a withdrawn Alyona. Cody and Morgan were glued to their addictive cell phones. I was terrified that all of my hardwork, my love for my beautiful daughters, my love for Cole could be crumbled and smashed at anymore! It is not fair! I felt walls of tears building in my eyes.

When we arrived home, I bolted inside without a word. My silence seemingly disturbed Wanda. "Mercy, are you okay?" She shouted from outside as I spilled into the house. I had no plans to tell Wanda anything. I'm not going to tell a soul.

I feigned a cheerful voice to shut her up. "YES, MOMMY! I'M JUST TIRED!" I excused. I hurried upstairs before anyone else. I desired the internet. I wished I had a cell phone in my possession. I made my way to Morgan's bedroom. Her door was wide open, I could see her laptop laying on her purple bed.

In a haste, I entered her bedroom, shut the door, and locked it. I scurried to her bed and grabbed her laptop. When I opened it, I was fortune that Morgan did not shut down her laptop. The laptop was alive with multiple tabs open.

With brisk fingers, I typed in the search bar, Constance's real name.

It took me many tries to find the right articles about this woman, but after eventually I did. I scanned the information I learned, I felt excitement for some odd reason. Excitement that I was accomplishing getting information.

I learned that Tatiana, (Constance) was born in Estonia, but raised in Russia. At age, nineteen, she murdered her Father, her stepmother, and her Father's mistress. She stabbed her Father and stepmother multiple times. She bludgeoned the mistress in the head with a hammer. Tatiana burned the house down and managed to avoid the authority for a full year. What she did during her run is unknown, but she was discovered in Tartu, Estonia, being a prostitute. Tatiana was charged with ten counts of murder. She murdered several clients and other prostitutes.

Her trial had several family members claiming that her family life was abusive and "mentally damaging." There were allegations of sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and physical abuse against the stepmother and the Father, but they were never proven. Tatiana was deemed insane and sent to a mental institution.

The last information about this girl is that she has recently escaped and her whereabouts is unknown.

 _ **Next chapter will come. Reviews and thoughts. I am working on the other stories, Infection, the Avenging, the WD, Only Us, and etc. Please leave reviews and thoughts.**_


	26. Encountering My Fate

"Mercy, are you okay?" Melanie asked me. Her voice was coated with compassion. I sat in a chair in front of my dresser mirror. Melanie was brushing my golden hair with a hairbrush.

I said nothing. I was completely drained of energy. After I met Constance, I had many sleepless nights. I would have dreadful nightmares of me being taken away by authorities. Me, kicking and screaming against the strong arms around me, my face is blemished with my aging wrinkles, my scars are exposed. The barren, cold cell I will live in for the rest of my life, me disheveled and locked away from the outside world. All of my life work gone within seconds.

Melanie stopped brushing my hair. She came over to my side, a warm smile was printed on her face, she kneeled down to my level. Her voice was gentle and kind. "Mercy, if you're having issues at school, tell me." She told me.

I smiled at Melanie. I did admire her kindness. But I couldn't utter a word about what is upsetting me.

I lied. "It's nothing. I'm just tired from school."

Melanie released out a soft chuckle. She gave me a humorous look. "Don't worry, Mercy. I was the same way. School would drain the life out of me. I hated it, honestly. But eventually I got into clubs and made friends." Melanie playfully rustled my hair with a smile. "Look, start joining clubs. Make friends. Talk to people." Melanie advised. "You need to get out of your bubble!"

I nodded. "Thank you." I whispered. I feigned a smile of reassurance. Melanie was convinced by my facade and resumed brushing my hair.

I heard a light tap on my bedroom door. "Mercy?" I turned my head to see my little angel. Alyona was in casual clothing, comfortable shorts and a plain shirt. Melanie has flawlessly braided Alyona's ebony hair into a Dutch braid.

Sabrina was right behind her, smiling and grinning with joy. "Wanna play House?" She asked me. I smiled. "Yes," I said.

Melanie released out a light chuckle. "Well have fun, you little monkeys." She joked. With that, Melanie briskly walked out of my bedroom.

"I want to play Mommy!" Sabrina shouted boisterously. I giggled when Sabrina grabbed my arm to tug me out of my bedroom. Alyona followed us. Sabrina was beaming with contagious euphoria. I felt my lips curling into a genuine smile.

Sabrina took us into her adorable bedroom. I saw Sheila sitting upright on her bed, reading a book. She led us to her large dollhouse. "I will play Mommy!" Sabrina insisted, with that, she briskly grabbed a barbie doll. She pointed to her other dolls. "Alyona, you can be the sister and Mercy, could be the Father!"

I giggled. "Okay, Sabrina. I will. I will." I grabbed the male barbie doll with a big smile. Alyona grabbed a doll and examined it. "She looks so cute!" She remarked.

The room was filled with innocent laughter. Sheila popped into my mind. I looked at her. "Sheila?" I seized her attention. "Do you want to play?"

Sheila was quiet for a moment. She appeared thoughtful, pondering her decision. Sheila bit her lower lip and nodded. "Sure." She said quietly. She got out of bed and hurried over to the dollhouse.

She grabbed a nearby barbie doll and joined in the fun. Then there was a slight knock on the door. I spun around to see my Cole standing in the door. "Hi, Princesses, I'm planning on going out for ice cream. Wanna come?" He offered with a warm smile.

Sabrina released out a adorable gasp, instantly she dropped her doll and hurried to her Father with a wide smile. "YES! YES! YES!" She rejoiced. I burst out into a fit of giggling. "I want to go too." I said in a light voice.

Alyona smiled. "Thanks, Mr. Weiss." She beamed. Cole chuckled. "You can call me Cole." He told her in a gentle voice.

Alyona blinked. "Oh! I can?" She gasped in shock.

"Sure, I'm not going to make you call me, Dad. Just call me Cole, kay?"

Alyona just broke out into a grateful smile. "Okay, Cole." She whispered.

Sheila put the doll on the floor. "Can I go?" Sheila asked with wide eyes.

"Yep," Cole declared. "All of us." With that, he beckoned us downstairs. Alyona changed clothes and I put on my Mary Jane slippers before heading downstairs.

Melanie, Morgan, and Cody joined us. Wanda was out with friends. All of us cramped in the SUV. Cody was on his phone, Morgan was chatting loudly on her cell phone to a friend. Melanie sat in the front seat, quietly and respectfully.

Cole drove us to a nearby Baskin Robbin. I had a smile that reached ear to ear. I held Sabrina's warm hand. I looked down at her, overflowing with euphoria.

Then I saw Constance inside of the shop. She was sitting at a table in front of the window with her little family. A man, a woman, and a little girl. My heart dropped. Shit! SHIT! SHIT!" I felt my legs tremble. My face flushed as we entered the shop. Pleasant, sweet smelling air hit me in the face. Sabrina yanked away from me. She made a beeline to the counter and pointed feverishly to the ice cream flavor she desired.

"Daddy, I want Bubblegum! I want Bubblegum!" She squealed. Cole chuckled at his energetic daughter.

I found myself staring at Constance. She was dressed in a thick uniform dress. She didn't seem to notice me, her back was to me. She was cooing and giggling with the bouncing little girl. The woman was smiling brightly and the man was on his cell phone, talking aloud.

I removed myself from my stare to avoid her from noticing me. I was still deep disbelief that this woman had my secrets under her sleeves. I desired to approach her. Whether I am gentle and passive, aggressive and violent, I needed to speak to her. I had to make SURE she would not expose me.

If one whisper is uttered, I will have to do something dire. I would not hesitate to murder her if I had the chance. But for now, I will use that as a last resort.

"Mercy, what do you want?" Alyona's voice snapped me back into reality. I glanced down at the ice cream flavors. I thought of my childhood, I had a sweet tooth. I relished chocolate more than life itself. When I was locked away, I missed sweet goods. I gazed at the chocolate flavor and pointed to it. "I want chocolate, Daddy." I said.

Cole nodded. Morgan got lemon, Cody got vanilla, Melanie got cake batter, Alyona got sweet strawberry, Sabrina got two pints of Bubblegum, and lastly Sheila got cookie dough. Sabrina darted to the nearest table and enjoyed her sweet treat. I sat next to her, enjoying the sweetness of my ice cream. All of us sat at the table, Cole didn't get any ice cream and was occupied on his cell phone.

"Mercy, feeling better?" Melanie beamed at me. I cracked a smile and looked her directly in the eyes. "Yes, sister." I said sweetly. I took in a spoonful of ice cream.

Constance noticed me now. Her eyes met mine. They burned into my pupil, making me feel uneasy. My heart jumped when she formed a wide smile to me. The smile wasn't menacing or wicked, it was beautiful and sweet, but her eyes were still barren of emotions. Constance broke her gaze with me and turned to the woman. I watched them speak softly to each other for a moment. Seconds later, Constance smiled brightly and hopped out of her chair. She made a beeline for my table. My palms immediately became sweaty.

"Mercy? Isn't that that girl from school?" Alyona seized my attention for a brief moment.

Constance sauntered over to the table with a affable smile. "Hi, Mercy!" She greeted me. Her voice was coated with sweetness and delight. Cody and Morgan gawked at her outfit.

"Looks like Mercy has a long lost twin sister." Cody whispered loudly. Morgan burst out into cruel laughter. Cole shot his daughter and son a stern look and they both shut up.

Sabrina smiled gleefully at her. "Hi," She extended out a friendly hand. "My name is Sabrina." Constance shook up her hand firmly. "My name is Constance. Pleasure to meet you." She said gently.

Her brown eyes glistened at Cole. I felt a pang of jealousy. "Hello, sir. My name is Constance Warner. How are you?" She said politely.

Cole smiled warmly. "Great," His eyes flickered to me. "Is Mercy your friend?" He inquired.

Constance eagerly nodded. "Best friend!" She exclaimed happily.

"Makes sense, these two freaks belong together." I heard Cody mumble under his breath. He said so lowly only I could hear it. Morgan has lost all interest in the conservation and was glued to her cell phone.

I had a blank expression on my face. I felt the bile rising in my throat. Constance was smiling radiantly. "Sir, could Mercy come to my house for a slumber party?" She asked. My heart dropped, I wanted to speak out, but my tongue was frozen with fear. Yes! I am terrified of this bitch! She has all of my deepest, darkest secrets in her hands and she could easily use it against me.

Cole was taken aback. "Oh! Really?" He smiled. "Of course!"

I looked at Cole with big eyes. Cole didn't seemed to notice my distress. Sabrina began to giggle out of excitement. "CAN I COME?" She begged her Father. "I want to go too!"

I stared Cole directly in the eyes. I silently begged him to say no and take me away from this bitch. Cole appeared thoughtful. "Mommy needs to know first." He said. Sabrina frowned, she crossed her arms and pouted. "No! I want to go!" She whined.

Cole turned to Constance. "I'll just ask my wife first, then I will call up your parents. Actually could I talk to them?"

Constance nodded. She scurried over to her "parents" and within seconds, she returned with them. The woman was pretty, she had straight raven hair with dark eyes. She looked like a model with her defined face and fair skin. She had a curvy figure and wore bright colors. The man was quite handsome. He was tall and thin with thick light brown hair and brown eyes. He had pale skin and a oval shaped face.

"Hello, I am Lilly Warner," The woman introduced. "This is my husband, Arthur." She gestured to the man. Arthur smiled faintly. Lilly turned around. "Clementine! Come over here!" The little girl bounced out of her chair and over to us. She was adorable and small. She had strawberry blonde locks, fair skin, and big blue eyes. She was smiling jovially.

Cole smiled radiantly. "Nice to meet you, Constance seems to be good friends with Mercy. So maybe we should all go eat dinner?" Cole offered.

Lilly appeared delighted. "Oh! Thank you!" She gushed. The woman was bursting with life. Arthur was mellow compared to his lively wife.

"Thank you, that's a nice offer." He said mildly.

I wanted to die at this moment. I wanted to disappear. My mind became blank.

….

The Warner family arrived for dinner on the next pleasant weekend. It was a Saturday afternoon. Because we were having guests, Wanda luxuriously decorated the dining room, living room, and kitchen. She set up the table formally. She cooked up a delicious turkey, spaghetti and meatballs, pasta, and mashed potatoes.

Wanda forced everyone to dress formally. I wore one of my finest dress with extra youthful makeup. I had elegant locks with fine red lips. Alyona looked beautiful, her ebony hair was curled, her formal purple dress brought out her blue eyes.

Me and Alyona headed to the dining table early. The dining room had the aroma of sweet cinnamon candles.

Wanda looked very gorgeous, as much I hate to admit it. Her hair was prim and wrapped into a fine bun. She wore a long black skirt and a crimson blouse.

The Warner family looked out of place when they arrived. Dressed in casual clothing, they gazed around the living room and kitchen. "WOW!" Constance gushed. Her eyes lit up with delight. "Your house is beautiful!" Constance complimented.

Wanda smiled in response. I stared at Constance. She was good at pretending like me. If I didn't know her secret, I would be tricked into thinking she's a sweet, polite, and kind little girl. Clementine, the little tot was beaming, bouncing up and down. The strange thing about her was that she made no sound. No vocalization at all.

Constance scrolled over to me and flung her arms around me. I stiffened. Constance hugged me warmly, her lips close to my ear. Her Russian tongue was wicked, but gentle. "Play along and nothing will happen." She warned. My face became blank. Constance released me and smiled at me innocently. I just stared at her coldly. I balled up my fists as anger boiled in my chest. Constance spun around to see Alyona. "I love your dress!" She gushed.

Alyona blushed profusely. "Thank you." She said sheepishly.

Constance grabbed my wrist without warning, she escorted me to the dining table. Everyone sat at the table and began to conversant. The parents immediately took a liking to Wanda and Cole.

"We actually adopted Constance three months ago. She is just amazing!" Lilly gushed.

Wanda's eyes lit up. "Wow! We adopted Mercy and Alyona. They have been great since they've been here." Wanda flashed me a loving smile. I feigned a smile to her and ate my food.

Arthur smiled warmly. "Yeah, it's been great since we had Constance." He said.

"One day, I would love to adopt." Melanie said dreamily.

"Oh, you do?" Lilly smiled.

Melanie nodded. "Yes, I planned to be a social worker. I always liked being around kids, so one day, I'm going to adopt a child myself." She explained.

Then Lilly's eyes flashed with realization. "Oh, you're Melanie! Our son knows you from school. Do you know a boy named Brandon?"

"YES!" Melanie was overflowing with joy. Her voice was lively, her eyes was glistening, her cheeks blushing. Seemed like this Brandon fellow was special to her. "He's in the same math class as me."

Lilly nodded. "Awesome. Brandon talks about you alot. He likes the idea of being a social worker one day. I think you inspired him."

Melanie's face flushed, her demeanor becane sheepish. "Wow..." She mumbled.

Lilly appeared impressed. She turned to a bored Morgan. "You?"

Morgan was completely disinterested. "Um...a nurse. I guess." Morgan said halfheartedly.

Lilly kept grinning like an idiot. "Wow! A nurse! That's a great profession," She glanced at her small daughter. "I have a good friend who is a nurse. Pays well. She works with Clem."

"What do you mean?" Sheila asked with a curious look.

"Well Clem is a deaf mute."

Sheila's eyes widened. "So….she's a special kid?" She said bluntly. Wanda and Cole reacted upset.

"Sheila, apologize! That's not nice." Wanda demanded angrily.

Sheila rolled her eyes. She was not having it. She gave Wanda a scornful scowl, her eyes filled with defiance. "I wasn't talking to you, Wanda." She retorted. Sheila turned her head away from Wanda in a disrespectful manner.

Wanda looked like she wanted to slap the absolute shit out of her. "Bedroom, Sheila." Wanda spoke in a stern, but soft voice.

Stubbornly, Sheila did not budge. She turned to Wanda with a smirk. "Make me!" She challenged. Wanda glared at Sheila for a second before looking at Cole. Automatically Cole got up from the table and went over to Sheila.

At that point, Sheila got the message and stormed away from the dining table before Cole could utter a word. She stormed up the stairs and into her bedroom, slamming the door with all of her might.

It was silent after that. It was awkward. Wanda released out a embarrassed laugh. "I am sorry about Sheila. She's just cranky." She excused.

I looked at Clementine. She seemed like a darling little girl. I felt pity for her. A poor adorable child cursed with deafness.

"It's fine. Sheila was just curious." Lilly said.

Wanda shook her head. "Well it was still rude."

Lilly nodded. "I understand," Clementine tugged on her Mother's sleeves. I watched her as she proceeded to use sign language. I had no idea what she was saying at all.

Lilly did and she nodded to her daughter with a smile. "I know. I know." She said slowly. She then spoke aloud. "Clem can't talk, but she can read lips due to her hearing aid."

I smiled at the small child. Then I caught Constance looking at me. She was sitting next to a excited Sabrina. Constance was not engaging in the conservation at all, but Sabrina didn't seem to notice.

Our eyes met, mine became cold and defensive. Hers were prideful and warm. Constance broke off the stare. "Mrs. Weiss, can Mercy please come to my house?" She begged.

Wanda looked at Constance, then at Lilly. Lilly gave her a simple nod and she smiled. "Of course!" She agreed.

Constance looked like she was ready to do cartwheels. "Thank you!" She rejoiced. She smiled at me brightly.

I did nothing.

Sabrina appeared eager. "I want to come! I want to come!" She whined. "Please! Please!" She begged her Mother. "I'll play with Clem, Constance, and Mercy at the same time!"

Wanda nodded. "Okay, you can go!" Sabrina looked like she was on cloud nine. "Thank you, Mommy!"

My heart dropped. I felt so helpless. If I objected to Constance's request, she will expose me. I kept my mouth shut and feigned a happy smile. My mind raced of all possibilities. I tried to support myself in my mind. I glanced at my daughters. I looked at Sabrina. I was a failure.

 _Stop being a coward, Alanna! You can do anything! Nothing scares you! You will prevail!_ I screamed in my head.

 _ **Next chapter will come soon. P.S., No, this is not Esther. She is inspired by Esther. But ultimately, this is not Esther. Reviews and thoughts. Working on other stories.**_


	27. The Choice

There we were, I held Sabrina's hand. It was a snowy afternoon on a Monday. I have endured the constant, cruel torment of the children at school. But that did not hold a candle to the upcoming torture I am going to endure here.

I stood in front of Constance Warner's house. A beautiful modern contemporary style house with two stories. Melanie and Morgan has accompanied us, both oblivious from the agony within in my mind.

Sabrina tugged my arm, feverishly pulling towards the porch to knock on the front door. My feet are planted within the pavement. Morgan bypassed us and went to the front door. She knocked on the front door a few times.

When the door opened, Constance appeared in the doorway with a innocent smile. My heart dropped, complete dread overflowed through me. She was dressed in a baby blue, frilly dress with long sleeves. Constance beckoned us inside. "Come on! Come on!" She urged. I swallowed my fear like a bitter pill, I needed to confront Constance NOW! I must show my dominance here. Both of us are similar, both of us are capable of brutal violence, both of us has our deepest darkest secrets. I refused to be afraid of my doppelganger!

I forced my legs to trot over Constance inside of the house. The house was tastefully designed, making it evoke the feeling of openness. I scanned my surroundings to see the Warner's son sitting lazily in the living room. He laid on the couch on his back, he had on earphones that was blaring loud music.

He was a slim young boy with slick brown hair and dark eyes. He had a long face with a stubby nose. My eyes caught a glimpse of Melanie blushing profusely, her eyes are fixated on him.

Little crush, I see. I thought in my head. When I was younger, I never had a crush on any of my classmates. My Father was seemingly my soulmate, I felt no attraction to anyone expect him. I then saw Morgan periodically glancing at him, her cheeks are rosy and her face is red.

Both of them seemed to have a crush on this little punk. I did not find him attractive at all. He seemed like a normal stupid teenager. I dismissed this stupid lovefest and focused on Constance. Boldly, I released Sabrina and I grabbed Constance's hand. Constance's eyes snapped at me startled, instinctively she yanked her hand away.

I gave her a cold look. "We need to talk." I said bluntly. Constance simply nodded. "Let's go to my bedroom." Constance declared. Sabrina overheard our conservation. "Can I come?" Sabrina begged.

My voice was gentle. "No, me and Constance needs to talk about something important." I explained.

With that, I proceeded to follow Constance up the staircase. Her room was at the end of the hallway. When Constance opened her bedroom door, the sweet aroma of vanilla hit my nostrils. Her room was tidy with creme colored walls, she had a comfortable canopy bed, and finewood dressers. As I entered her bedroom, I saw a armoire dresser with a mirror next to a large aquamarine in the corner of the room. I thought of Wanda at this moment, I imagined myself drowning her by plunging her head into the crystal clear water.

Constance was beaming with childlike jubilance. She closed the door behind us. Once the door was shut, her demeanor changed from childlike innocence to gravely serious.

"What do you want to talk about?" She inquired as she walked towards her neatly made bed.

"Our secrets." I answered.

Constance sat on her bed. I promptly sat next to her.

I didn't want to wait any longer. I spoke in Russian. "Why are you so insistent on knowing me?" I demanded.

"Alanna, I harbor no ill will to you. I simply want us to be friends. For years, I've been alone in this world. Having someone similar to me just seems to be a good thing." Constance explained softly.

I rolled my eyes, boldness filled me. "You have all of my secrets in your hands. You are a deluded madwoman!" I accused.

Constance looked at me as if I was stupid. "You have all of my secrets as well. You don't think I have sleepless nights myself? The only difference between me and you is that I don't cross people unless I have to!"

I was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Have I revealed your secret, Alanna? No. I could have. I could have revealed it to that family you tricked and expose you. I wouldn't be affected in the least. When you're being dragged away by the authorities to a horrible fate, I'll be here, sitting in my warm bed. If I wanted to blackmail you or torment you, I would have done it by now. But I'm not. If you do not wish to be my friend, then fine. But we must have an alliance!"

I arched my eyebrow. "An alliance?" I echoed.

"Yes, let's be honest, we go to the same school, live in the same state, and our adoptive family know each other. I need to keep an eye on you to make you're not going to reveal my secret. I swear to you, if you do not reveal my secret, I will not reveal yours." Constance vowed as she extended out a hand to me. Without a thought, I shook it.

At that moment, I purged all fear from my body. I understood Constance at this moment. Perhaps being friends or allies with her will be wise. I loosened my stiff muscles.

It was quiet for a while until Constance broke the silence by making small talk. "What's your life story?" She inquired abruptly.

My stomach churned. I felt strange exposing my darkest deeds. "I murdered my Father and his whores."

Constance smiled wickedly. "Sounds just like me. I too had to get my hands dirty. I fled the scene and I turned to prostitution for a living. It was maddening." She had a look of disgust of her face. "I had to deal with violent bastards high on liquor and drugs. Men fond of little girls were my usual clients. I ended up killing a few of them. I had to stab some idiotic prostitutes who could never shut up when told to."

I nodded upon hearing that. I was amazed of how similar our history was.

"How did you get to this point?" Constance asked.

"Well," I felt like I was naked at this moment. All of the facts of my private life revealed. I didn't mind telling Constance personally, but it was still strange.

"I...I..want to have a family. For all of my life, I always wanted a family of my own. I want a small, precious child and a wonderful man who could love me like a woman."

Constance smiled faintly. "Wow….I want a family myself. That's one of my main goals of pretending to be a pleasant girl. I always dreamed of being a Mother to a wonderful small child. A man who could cherish me and protect me."

Constance stared me in the eyes. "Why did you murdered your father? You and I seem to have mirrored experiences." She said causally.

A mixture of sorrow and wrathful anger flowed through me. The sorrow was aimed at myself. "He broke my heart. He treated me with all of the tender love and cherishment you can give a person. Then as I grew up, I was no longer the apple of his eye. He made sure to let me know that I was not a woman. I was a freak. I was a monster. That no man could love someone like me. So," My voice became hollow. "So I killed him one night. I murdered his whores first. I slit their throats and stabbed them until they looked like swiss cheese. Then I wrote on the wall in their blood for my Father see. Once he came from work, I murdered him. I stabbed him so many times I lost count. I mostly stabbed him in the throat, I nearly decapitated him. After that, I burned that fucking house down and fled. I went to the Capital of Estonia, where I was a prostitute. I just could never caught a break, I was abused by anyone. From my Father to my clients. Everyone was hurting me and when I gave my heart to men who I believed loved me, I would just feel a rage that cannot be contained." I realized I overtalked. I was releasing my entire life story to this random woman.

Constance pushed her dark chocolate bangs out of her eyes. "Well my story is slightly different. I had a special relationship with my Father. But then my stepmother came into my life. Things became strange. All three of us were involved in a romantic relationship. All three of us were madly in love. Even though I was mostly attracted to my Father. He treated me like his beloved wife, so I felt like it. I didn't mind being romantic with my stepmother. She wasn't a disappointment to say the least. But then my Father wanted a fourth woman in our relationship. She stole my Father away from me. The cunt was a disgusting whore!" Her tone is brewing with unbridled hatred. "My relationship with my Stepmother, Olga was terrible. I hated her and she hated me. Father kept us together. He kept the peace. He was the reason why we were in this relationship. So when he abandoned us, it made everything go to shit!" Constance slammed her fists on the soft blanket of the bed. She glared at nothing, her teeth clenched with sheer fury. "I gave that man all of my love. But he betrayed me." Then her expression softened. "Then he grew bored of his mistress. The mistress was nothing but a desperate slut that always begged my Father for sex. But he went directly to me. Only me. I was on cloud nine. My life seemed to be wonderful at that moment. My Father was my life. I was homeschooled by him, I would make him meals, I would wash his sheets and treated him like my charming prince." She released out a sigh. "Then I stopped growing. I was stunned to look like a small child. Olga took me to get tested and I found out about my condition. My life changed from that moment, my Father would lash out at me. He told me I was not a woman. Olga was just as wicked as him. I was beaten and abused in so many ways by them. So I killed them. I stabbed them both one night and I killed the mistress by bashing her skull with a hammer!" Her chest heaved up and down.

"Then I burned down that shithole!" She snarled. "Then I became a prostitute and I had to get my hand dirty several more times." Constance gestured to her attire. "I was locked away for five years! I went to my sister." Constance's eyes widened with cherishment. "My beloved sister, Maria helped me. She gave me a home for a short while. She helped me get the right documents and identity papers to create sweet little Constance. I was adopted by a family and was sent here to America." Constance's expression smoothened. She scooted closer to me with a pleasant smile.

"I thought about seducing the man and making him my lover. That's mostly what I dreamed of. I don't mind a small child in my care. I just want the simple life a woman can possess. But overall I just need to avoid suspicion at all times." She concluded.

I nodded. "Me too. I was adopted by a family, I tried to seduce the Father, but he rejected me. So I murdered him and his family. The recent family I went to seemed promising. I had two little girls. I spared one and I had to let her go. I still miss her to this day. I've been through hell trying find happiness." Constance put a warm hand on my back, giving me a reassuring pat. "We are both suffering, Alanna. Both of us are black sheeps, cursed with misery and abuse, only to have blood on our hands."

I felt comfortable now. I found myself lying down on my back. The bed felt like a cloud, soft and tranquil.

"This family looks promising." I commented.

Constance giggled. "Yep. I love my little Clementine. She is a sweet little tot. She is Mommy's little sweetheart." Constance cooed lovingly. Her tone became dreamy when she spoke of Arthur. "He is a hunk. Handsome, kind, and loving. He doesn't talk very much, but he is still charming." Then she frowned. "But that bloody woman and her annoying dipshit of a son is a nuisance."

"Your family seems nice. I do like your adoptive parents. The children of the family seems decent. Expect that one little girl."

"Sheila? Well she is very difficult." I explained briefly. Then there was a odd sound emerging from one of the bedroom next to Constance's room. It was loud bumping and repetitive thrumping.

Constance groaned in annoyance. "That fucking moron is doing it again!"

I arched an eyebrow in confusion. "What?"

"That little dipshit really loves acting like he is a casanova. When the parents aren't home, he either has a wild party or fuck some random girl from school."

I then realized that Melanie and Morgan are the only ones that are near Brandon's age. I didn't know what to think.

I heard the rapid thumping, I heard the loud groans of pleasure. I couldn't identify the voice.

"This is just plain disgusting. I hate it that I have to listen to this fucktard fucking like a rabbit in the other room!" Constance complained. She slammed her fists onto her bed. "I can't wait to wipe that boy's existence along with his stupid Mother."

I couldn't help but to listen to the lovemaking in the other room. I am uncomfortable. Teens having sex is not pleasant to hear. I thought of my Sabrina. Hopefully her and Clementine are far away in the house. I couldn't bear it if those innocent children witness this.

Then I heard Melanie's voice. Her voice was shrill and clear. "Stop! Stop!" Melanie was yelling at the top of her lungs. "This is disgusting. I don't want to do this! Can't it just be you and me?" Melanie's voice was broken. Miserable sobs emerged out of her.

Morgan's voice was clear, she showed no sympathy for her weeping sister. Her voice was harsh and mocking. "Then you shouldn't have agreed to it then, bitch. Get out of here so we can finish."The way she spoke to her sister was horrific.

Even when Melanie was hysterically crying, Morgan was repeatedly urging her to leave. "Bye! Bye! Bye!" Her voice grew louder and louder as Melanie's sobs escalated. Even though Melanie was vulnerable, she still managed to be bold. "SHUT UP, MORGAN! YOU KEPT SAYING THIS WOULD BE FUN! YOU SAID THIS WOULD NOT BE WEIRD!" She screeched. She then shouted out to Brandon. "BRANDON!" But Brandon doesn't make a peep. Morgan kept telling her to go.

The broken hearted girl quickly realized that she had no allies in this house, she sprinted out of the bedroom, her footsteps were heavy and unsteady. I ran to the door with great curiosity. I opened to the door to see a naked Melanie hobbling down the stairs. She only wore a black bra, her hair was messy and she was sweaty from head to toe. I scanned the living room for Sabrina. But thankfully the emanating laughter of oblivious children came from a far away bedroom.

I was shocked at this. Baffled that Melanie, a kindhearted and levelheaded girl with prospective ambitions would have sex at such a young age.

I watched her trot downstairs, her face was beet red, streams of tears poured down her cheeks. Me and her met eyes, I froze. I kept a blank face when we looked at each other. Melanie's cheeks grew red, she looked like she wanted to die at this moment.

Embarrassed and ashamed, Melanie broke her eye contact with me and fled into the kitchen, disappearing from my sight. I hurried off to Constance's room and shut the door. I wanted to vomit at all of this.

There was more rough thumping and excessive groaning in the next room soon after. I felt slight pity for Melanie. I did like her, even though she was a pawn. She is a tenderhearted soul. I strongly disliked Morgan at this moment. I desired to go find Sabrina, but I feared that a naked Morgan or Brandon would pop out and would infect Sabrina's innocence. So I resolved myself to stay in here.

Constance appeared irritated. "I hope Arthur and Lilly come home soon." She mumbled aloud.

I sat on Constance's bed with a blank mind. I just wanted to go home. I longed Alyona, my sweet little angel. She was at home with the Weiss. I miss her so much.

I laid on Constance's bed and waited for the house to become silent.

 _ **Next chapter will come soon. Reviews and thoughts.**_


	28. The Slumber Party

"Mercy! Mercy! Look!" harked a jovial Alyona. It was a snowy afternoon on a Friday, I was back home at the Weiss residence. I smiled at the sight of Alyona building a snowman with little Sabrina and Sheila.

I sat on the porch, having no interest in playing. I supervised the children with watchful eyes.

"It is beautiful!" I complimented. Alyona flashed me a humble smile. It was peaceful, the world itself was pleasant and quiet. The beautiful sounds of the small children's laughter filled the backyard.

Then it all broke when Morgan exited the house. "MERCY!" She yelled at me. I leaped to my feet and spun around startled. "What is it?" I asked confused.

Morgan put her hands on her hips and smirked at me. "Mom and Dad left me in charge today awhile they're out for their date." She answered. She then raised her voice loud enough for the little tots to hear. "EVERYONE INSIDE THE HOUSE! I'M IN CHARGE!" She shouted with urgency.

I frowned at this. I protested in a meek voice. "But why?" I asked.

Morgan looked at me as if I was stupid. "Because I said so." She hissed. Morgan then pointed a strict finger to the backdoor of the house. "INSIDE NOW!" She commanded. I rolled my eyes, I opened my mouth to protest again, but then I thought of Wanda and Cole. I couldn't allow my innocent reputation to be ruined.

I took in a deep breath. "Come inside, girls." I shouted to the girls in a pleasant voice. Sabrina was upset. "Please, Morgan. Just a few more minutes."

Morgan was adamant. "No, inside." She said harshly. Alyona was the only one that obediently complied. She walked briskly inside the house. Sabrina began to pout and Sheila crossed her arms with her face sealed in a grimace.

Sheila scowled bitterly. "No, you're not the boss of anyone, Morgan!" Sheila hissed. She went back to crafting the snowman.

Morgan glared at Sheila. "Sheila, if you do not come inside right now, I will tell Dad!" She threatened.

Sheila lost her temper at this moment. She violently stomped her foot in the snow. "NO!" With that, Sheila scooped up a ball of snow in her hand. "SHUT UP!" Sheila tossed the snowball with all of her strength. Morgan, for some reason, did not move out of the way. She was struck straight in the face with the snowball.

I found this comical and I burst out laughing. Sabrina has already went inside the house.

"Stop laughing! Stop laughing!" Morgan screamed at me. I ignored her, I chortled at her misery with glee.

Then without warning, Morgan swiftly walked over to me and roughly grabbed my arm. Her iron grip sent twinges of sharp pain through my nervous system. "OW! OW!" I screamed. I struggled against her vehemently like a fish on a hook. But Morgan's grip was too tight to escape. "YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Morgan hissed.

Sheila was staring at this with wide eyes. I began to kick at Morgan, but nothing seemed to be working. I was dragged inside of the house, once I'm inside, Morgan shoved me roughly to the floor. I fell face first onto the wooden floor of the living room.

I picked myself up, shaking off the pain. I felt Morgan's hand on my shoulder, I had no time to react when she spun around to face her. I gave her a cold look. I was ready to lash out at this bitch!

"Look, you little weirdo!" She pointed a rude finger in my face. "You better listen to me and behave! If not, I will tell Mom and Dad about how much of a shit you are being!" Morgan warned.

I thought about Wanda and Cole again and I used all of my willpower to allow this incident to roll down my back. My rage still simmered inside of my stomach, I used all of my will to prevent it from emerging. I forced a meek demeanor. "Yes. I'm sorry!" I said.

Morgan rolled her eyes. She pointed a finger towards the stairs. "Upstairs!" She commanded. I obeyed her, feigning an attitude of shame. I hung my head down as I trotted up the stairs and to my bedroom.

I was upset that my happy afternoon was gone. Melanie or Cody was not in the house, both of them were at their friend's house.

Then I heard the doorbell. I paid little attention to it, I believed that Melanie or Cody has returned. I just daydreamed and relaxed by crawling into my bed. Then there was a slight knock on the my bedroom door. "Mercy?"

I snapped back into reality upon hearing Constance's voice. I hopped out of bed and I opened the door. Constance appeared in the doorway with a toothy smile, she was dreamed warmly in a gray turncoat and a matching frilly dress. Her hair was in two adorable pigtails. Morgan was behind her with a cross expression on her face. "Do not act up!" Morgan hissed. Constance was not fazed, she turned to her and spoke politely. "I promise I'll be good."

Then Constance sauntered into my bedroom and slowly closed the door behind her. I heard Morgan's footstep receding from my bedroom door.

Constance smiled at me brightly. "Lilly and Arthur are willing to have you and Sabrina come over." I smiled at that suggestion. I wanted to get out of this house. I had no idea how long everyone would be out.

But then I thought of Brandon. It's been two weeks since I've been at Constance's house. I never uttered a word about the event that occurred there. Personally I did not see it as important enough to care about.

Constance seemed to have read my mind. "Don't worry, Brandon is at one of his dumb friend's house. Lilly and Arthur are both off work and they really liked having you and Sabrina at the house. Clementine loves Sabrina and kept asking for her."

I smiled. "Could Sheila and Alyona come?" I asked.

Constance nodded. "Sure."

…

I was thrilled to be far away from that bitch Morgan. When we arrived to her home, Clementine was in the front doorway, bouncing up and down with energy.

She grabbed my wrist feverishly with a toothy grin. She was dressed warmly in thick clothing. I burst out giggling at this small tot's jubliance.

Sabrina entered the house with a cheerful smile. I allowed the small child to pull me into the living room. I quickly noticed that she was leading me to the backdoor. Alyona appeared behind me, she was giggling from Clementine's energy.

Clementine suddenly released me and began to sign at me. I was clueless and did not understand her at all. Constance appeared beside me, her eyes were scanning Clementine's fingers. She broke out into a smile. "She wants you to play with her in the snow." Constance translated.

I beamed. "Of course. Can you translate to her that I want to?" I asked. Constance compiled and began to sign to her. Clementine flashed me a radiant smile and scurried to the door. Everything about the little girl was quite lively in attitude and movement.

When Clementine opened the door, her eyes were wide as saucers. She began to sign again and Constance translated it thoroughly. "I want Sabrina to come," she said.

Alyona raised her voice. "I'll get her." She offered. With that, she called out to Sabrina. Sabrina hopped over to us, causing Clementine to smile ear to ear. I felt an overflow of euphoria from all of this.

Clementine sprinted outside. I gazed around my surroundings. It was a wintry wonderful land. The forest near the house was covered in a blanket of snow. A frozen lake was nearby the house. Clementine dove into the snow, she happily tossed up snow into the air.

"HAVE FUN, KIDS!" Lilly hollered from the living room. Alyona scurried over to Clementine, having to take an immediate liking to her. Clementine swiftly scooped up a snowball as Alyona made her way to her.

Clementine hurled the snowball at Alyona and it hit her shoulder. Alyona burst out into a fit of giggling. "HI! THAT'S COLD!" She shrieked.

I joined in with a wide smile. I scooped up a hard snowball and I hurled it at Clementine. Clementine was nimble and dodged it. With a sly smirk, she formed another snowball and tossed it at me. I managed to spin out of the way.

"SNOWBALL FIGHT!" Constance chimed in. With a high pitched giggle, Constance ran towards Clementine, armed with snowballs. Clementine darted away from her, ever so lively and swift. Constance chased the little tot around the backyard.

"Mercy, wanna build a snowman?" Alyona asked me in a bright voice. I spun around to see Alyona already piling up a clump of snow.

"Yes!" I said, joining Alyona in her crafting of the snowman. Sabrina and Constance all played with Clementine, chasing her around, tossing snowballs at each other.

I pondered about Sheila. I wanted to go and get her. "I want to get Sheila," I told Alyona. With that, I got up and went inside the house. I found Sheila in the living room, she was sitting idly on the couch, watching TV.

"Sheila!" I called out as I made my way to her. At this point, I was still flowing with happiness, an eager grin was printed on my face. "Do you want to come and play?" I asked her, pointing a finger to the back door.

Sheila turned her head and gave me a cold look. "No." She said curt.

I frowned. I felt her rejection eating me from the insides. From Sheila's mental issues developing a proper Mommy and Daughter relationship will be difficult. I refused to just be passive, I wanted to bond with this child. I sat on the couch with Sheila. Sheila's face was sealed with a grimace.

"What are you doing, Mercy?" Sheila whined.

I spoke in a gentle voice. "I just want to be your friend," I admitted. Sheila averted her eyes.

"I just want to be alone." Sheila said. I bit my lower lip as the stings of rejection brew within me.

"Please, Sheila." I begged. "I only want to be your friend. We're sisters!" I made a rash decision to embrace her. Sheila did not react the way I wanted and shoved me roughly off of her. "DO NOT TOUCH ME!" She screamed. Sheila shot me a furious look. I felt tears of hurt building in my eyes. Sheila had no interest in talking to me any longer. She hopped out of her seat and hurried away from me.

My heart cracked, a dismal wave impacted me. I sighed deeply. You are a failure! You are supposed to be Mommy to this little girl. But you can't even hug her right! I scolded myself.

But there was no point in finding her and upsetting her more. I went outside and promptly played with everyone.

….

I ended up calling Wanda and Cole in the late afternoon so I could spent the weekend at Constance's house with all of my daughters. Sheila seemed to dislike being in the house, so she opted to leave. So there was only Sabrina, Alyona, and me.

Clementine was on cloud nine, upon having us in the house. Cole was kind and brought me three dresses and my pale white nightgown. Constance offered to allow me to use her makeup, since Cole did not bring mine.

It was the middle of the night, for most of the day of the same Friday, me and the children played boisterously. We played tag, we played House, and we frolicked outside in the blissful snow. I was drained of energy once the day was over.

The Warner's house had four bedrooms. One for the parents, one for Brandon, one was for Clementine, and one for Constance.

Constance was sitting at her easel near the large window of her bedroom. She was diligently painting a garden of beautiful flowers. I glanced at the alarm clock on her nightstand. It was 9:40pm. I laid down comfortably in Constance's bed.

I decided that I wanted to sleep without my makeup on. Sleeping makeup on was always irritating to my skin. Under normal circumstances, that I would sleep with my makeup on. But Constance knew that this mask I wear was a facade. I felt like I was safe enough to unmask myself. I got out of my bed, I headed out of the bedroom and I proceeded to grab a towel from the nearby bathroom. I wet it and I returned to Constance's room and shut the door behind me.

Constance turned her head to me. "What are you doing?" She asked me. I showed her my soaked towel. "I need to wash off my makeup." I explained.

Constance smiled. "Good, I'm going to do that myself." She put down her paintbrush and went out of the bathroom herself. I waited for Constance to return so she could close the door behind her. She didn't take long and returned within several seconds.

Together, we washed off our makeup. Upon seeing my true face, I immediately was filled with self-loathing. I was hideous. My aging face, my pale skin, all of the wrinkles that mock my existence. Constance was better than me. She had slight aging wrinkles herself, but she still looked like a small child. Without makeup advancing her appearance, she could still pass as a child.

We put our messy towels into Constance's dresser draw. Then I spun around to hear a soft knock on the door.

"What is it?" Constance shouted out. I gasped sharply when the door abruptly opened.

All of my feelings of comfort and security instantly dissolved. I found myself in a nightmare. Simultaneously, Sabrina and I's mouths dropped as we met eyes. My heartbeat intensified. Sabrina stood in the doorway, her eyes are massive with utter shock. Numbness overwhelmed my body. My blood ran cold, Sabrina's entire body was trembling with terror. Sabrina gave me a silent gaze, biting her lower lip. I took an impulsive step towards Sabrina. Sabrina jerked back, inching out of the bedroom.

It was silent. There was tension in the air, the tension was so thin that I could cut it with a knife. My stomach churned, my mind went blank, I began to sweat profusely. I stared at Sabrina speechless. I had no idea of what to say. How to explain this to her. How to comfort her. I just stared at her with my stone eyes.

Sabrina shrank, her lips quivered with fright. "What...what…" She gasped.

Constance was composed. "Go back to bed, Sabrina." She ordered. I was frozen where I was. My heart was cracking into fragments. All of my emotions were pent up inside of me. I could feel everything in my body lashing and thrusting inside of me.

Sabrina stood there for a short moment, her eyes are transfixed on me. Fear and bafflement was framed in her large eyes.

I cleared my throat, desperately trying to discover my voice.

Constance gave her a stern look. "Go to bed, Sabrina." She ordered, her tone was blistering harsh. This time, Sabrina obeyed. She removed her eyes from me and ran away from the bedroom.

I fell to my knees as a pang of terror hit me. I was terrified of my daughter fearing her Mommy. I feared that I would lose another child. The unbridled rage in my body was reaching the surface. I slammed my fists on the floor violently to emphasize my emotional state.

Constance took a step closer to me. Her stone cold eyes burned into me. "Stop being so weak, Alanna! What are you going to do now?" Constance demanded.

I pulled my hair violently. Tears of misery poured down my cheeks without warning. "EVERYTHING IS SHIT!" I cried. Constance slammed her hand over my mouth to silence me. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" She said in a harsh, hushed whisper.

I shoved her hand away, I wanted to rip this entire house into pieces. Then my mind began to torture me. I knew how urgent this situation is.

Sabrina has seen my secret. She will tell Wanda or Cole, it will be over. I will be locked up far away from my dreams and goals.

"NO! NO!" Intrusive thoughts developed in my twisted mind. I slammed my fists on my head, as to beat my thoughts out of my mind. But the thoughts were too powerful to remove. The thoughts were graphic and vivid. I imagined going to Clementine's room, where Sabrina and Alyona were residing. I saw myself pouncing on the little tot, tearing out of her golden hair and beating her black and blue.

"GODDAMMIT!" I fumed as my thoughts become graphically violent. Sabrina was miserably sobbing, crying out for help, but to no avail. Sabrina manages to get away from me and attempts to crawl under Clementine's bed. But I do not allow her. I grabbed her little ankles, dragging her to me. I proceed to beat her viciously until she becomes limp. Then a knife appeared in my hand, the knife meets her throat, forming a deep smile.

My last thought was the profound image of lifeless Sabrina lying in her own pool of blood. I shook my head as violently as I could. My love for this child still remained, but I could feel it dying every passing second.

Constance studied me keenly. She narrowed her eyes. "We have to do something." She said flatly.

"We can't allow her to reveal our secrets. She will tell someone." Constance told me.

I wanted to say that I could not harm my little Sabrina, but I couldn't deny Constance's statement. In my mind, I had the same concept.

"I know." I said in a hollow voice. Would I have to kill Sabrina? I have no idea. I only hoped that she would not confide in Alyona. The only child that loves and trust me wholeheartedly. The child I have been with for the longest.

That night was a sleepless night. In the early morning, it was a somber morning. I was brimful with exhaustion. My mind was blank from what unfolded last night. I painted my face with makeup. I became Mercy once again. The Mercy only Alyona and Sabrina knew. Alanna Petrov was nonexistent in their little world.

Sabrina has met face to face with Alanna Petrov. Now for my freedom, I had to make sure she never tells a soul.

Lilly was smiling brightly towards all of us. She cooked a delicious stack of pancake for everyone. I ate my meal slowly, Sabrina was silent as a mouse, she lacked her usual animation. Her big eyes stared blankly at her pancakes. Alyona noticed Sabrina's dismal state. "Are you okay?" She asked her in a soft whisper.

Sabrina doesn't look her in the eyes. "No." Sabrina took a brief glance at me. She began to pick at her food mindlessly.

I glanced at Sabrina periodically. Wondering what I must do to silence her.

"Sabrina! Wanna go play outside?" Constance asked in a joyful voice. A smile of happiness was painted on her face. Sabrina looked at Constance with wide eyes. She was dubious. "Um….no." She objected.

Lilly chuckled at this. "What's wrong, Sabrina?" She raised an eyebrow. "It's fine if you play outside. Go play outside and have fun. I'll even prepare some hot chocolate for you kids when you come back." Lilly said airily.

Sabrina bit her lower lip with glassy eyes. She clearly did not know what to do. She hung her head down in submission. "Thanks." She muttered passively. Sabrina appeared pale with anxiety.

"Go outside, girls. It's fine. Go nuts!" Lilly encouraged happily. I was still contemplating about what I should do about Sabrina as Ii headed upstairs to get dressed. I dressed warmly and I proceeded to head outside into the backyard.

Constance was already outside with a nervous Sabrina, next to her was a small wooden snow sled. The sled was connected to a string of rope. My eyes bulged at the sight of Constance holding a hammer. I knew what was going to happen at this point.

All of my emotions numbed down. I felt nothing. With a blank expression on my face, I walked towards them. Sabrina appeared disturbed by me.

"TIME FOR SLEDDING!" Constance rejoiced. Her entire demeanor was jovial, she expressed her emotions so flawlessly that even I couldn't tell if she was faking it or not.

Sabrina was stiff as a statue. Constance proceeded to shove her down into the sled. Sabrina fell on her butt with a gasp. Before she could have a second to stir, Constance pulled the sled with all of her strength.

She made a beeline for the frozen lake, I made sure to follow them closely. When we were all on the frozen lake, my thick boots felt frigid.

I watched Constance recklessly whirling around the frozen surface, jerking a rigid Sabrina in the sled.

I forced all of my happy moments with Sabrina out of my mind. I needed to protect my identity. I needed to protect my freedom. This broke my heart, all of this truly did. But this is my life on the line. I don't have the opportunity to start over again.

"Give me the hammer." I said to Constance when she was close enough. Constance smiled wickedly and complied. She tossed it to me and I caught it without trouble.

I walked to the center of the frozen lake, I struggled to keep steady, so I wouldn't slip. I used all of my strength to slam the hammer into the ice. I hit it several times as the ice was thick. When I finally managed to evoke a medium sized crack, I smiled proudly to myself at my success.

I thought of Blake at this moment. I loved her, but I had to take her life. Sabrina was the same.

"Sled over the crack." I ordered a ever so willing Constance. Sabrina was baffled and petrified. I feared that she would run away, but she was clearly too terrified to think.

Constance obeyed my orders, vigorously going over the crack repeatedly. One...two...three….four...I saw the crack growing. Five….six….seven….eight...nine.

Then on the last time, when Sabrina's sled was on the crack, it broke, swallowing the sled and Sabrina together. Mid fall, Sabrina released a shrill shriek that was muffled by the invasive waters.

Constance dropped the rope, allowing the water to finish it's meal. I saw short lived bubbles coming from the opening, I just stood there and watched. I felt nothing at this moment. No remorse, no pride, no happiness, no grief. Just nothing.

This was necessary. I stared at the opening, the world grew quiet. The howling winds of bitter winter were cursing at me. I heard birds cawing in the thick forest. Constance slithered over to me like a snake. "Now our secrets are safe." She reassured me with a pleased smile. I concocted a plan in my mind. I had to conceal the hammer. I looked around to see the nearby shed, I handed the hammer to Constance. "Put it back!" I ordered in a hushed whisper. I developed another plan, I scurried over to the lake and to the opening. I proceeded to put my lower body into the freezing water, I crawled my fingers into the icy surface to keep afloat. In my concocted story, me, Sabrina, and Constance were all playing outside in the snow. Sabrina wanted to play on the ice, which me and Constance objected to, but Sabrina insisted. Me and Constance proceeded to play on the frozen lake, Sabrina falls in and I attempt to help her in vain. Despite my entire body not being the water, I felt icy from head to toe. Constance returned without the hammer and her eyes widened at the sight of me. "What the fuck?" She gasped. Constance ran over to me. "AHH!" She released out a shrill shriek when she lost her footing and fell flat on her back.

"CONSTANCE! MERCY!" I heard Lilly's frantic voice exiting the house. She sprinted towards us, with terror framed in her eyes. When she was on the ice, she nearly slipped. She was determined to get to us and when she did, she grabbed my arm with an iron grip. "Come on! Come on!" She cried. Lilly pulled me out of the water, Ii was shivering like a leaf in a storm. All of my nerves were completely numb. My tongue was frozen in my mouth. I hugged myself as I trembled uncontrollably.

Lilly embraced me to keep me warm. She scooped me up and hastily carried me inside. As I battled the cold, Lilly put me down in the living room, near to the fireplace. I caught a glimpse of a curious Clementine staring at me from upstairs.

In a rush, Lilly turned on a switch that made the fireplace automatically be engulfed in flames. The heat was wonderful, I leaned in it closer, enjoying the warmth. Constance kept close to me, she sat next to me with a meek expression. I began to force myself to break into sobs to feign sympathy. I wept. Lilly's eyes widened with alarm. "WHAT?" She cried. Lilly's eyes darted back and forth with panic. "What happened?"

I managed to pretend that I was choking on hysterical sobs. I forced myself to cough violent, hurting my raw throat. "SHE'S GONE! SHE'S GONE!" I wailed. I chose not to disclose the story and just like everything else speak for itself. I pretended to be too hysterical to tell her what happened.

Then Constance's face changed drastically, hysterical tears began to flow. Both of us were feigning a convincing facade of distress. I could see Lilly fighting tears. She was panicking and visibly did not know how to handle this situation. She pulled out her cell phone and stared at it with a pondering look. "911? or Wanda?" Lilly pounded a fist on her head in frustration.

Lilly decided to call Wanda. I knew that because I heard Wanda's hysterical voice screeching from the phone. I heard Wanda's clear and booming voice yell out, "CALL 911!" Lilly's eyes bulged with panic, she hung up on Wanda and instantly dialed 911. Once the operator picked up, Lilly was speaking a mile a minute. She recapped what I told her, hysterical and frantic, her voice was shrill and high pitched. Lilly paced around the living room, her free hand on her temples.

I began to feel better when Constance smiled at me radiantly. "Great job, Alanna." She said in Russian. "Another day of freedom." She rejoiced. I did not emote once I solemnly nodded.

Melanie ended up picking me and Alyona up from the Warner's house before the police arrived. The Weiss house was several miles away from Warner's house. When we arrived home, the only people in the house were Cody, Melanie, and Morgan. Sabrina's absence haunted the house. Wanda and Cole were at the Warner's house, speaking to police.

I glanced down at Alyona, she was silent as a mouse. She appeared fearful. When we entered the house, I approached her in a maternal manner. "What's wrong?" I asked her gently. Alyona was overwhelmed with pent-up emotions. "SABRINA IS GONE!" She broke down into tears and flung her arms around me. "WHAT IF SHE'S DEAD? WHAT IF SHE'S LIKE ALYSSA?" I felt a pang of regret at this moment. Not for killing Alyssa, but for forcing Alyona to endure her murder. Ironically she is right about Sabrina being murdered. I rocked her back and forth, planting a kind kiss on her forehead. I heard Morgan release out a disgusted groan. "Stop being weird." She complained.

I released Alyona, becoming angry. This was NOT the day to mess with me. I felt the anger simmering in my chest. "Excuse me?" I said stiffly. I gave her a cold look. Morgan rolled her eyes. She pointed an accusing finger in my face. "Where is Sabrina? What did you and your creepy friend do to Sabrina?" I remained composed. I had no fear of Morgan. She had no evidence against me or Constance.

Melanie gasped offended. She pulled off her coat and put it on a nearby coat hanger neatly. "Stop it, Morgan! Mercy did not do anything! Stop being mean to her!" Melanie defended me.

Cody sat in the living room, he did not bother to pay attention to this. He remained silent in the background.

Morgan rolled her eyes bitterly. "Shut the fuck up, Melanie." She retorted harshly. "Mercy and Constance were the last ones to see her. Sabrina isn't some dumbass kid. She wouldn't have run off into the forest like an idiot!"

Melanie took in a deep breath. "Morgan, blaming Mercy will not help anything." She reasoned. "Just stop!"

Morgan's emotional state escalated, her face was beet red, her teeth clenched and her fists were balled up. "NO! OUR LITTLE SISTER IS MISSING! MERCY AND CONSTANCE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT! I KNOW IT!" She shrieked. Melanie did not believe a word Morgan uttered.

"Stop acting crazy, Morgan. Just calm down!" Melanie said dismissively.

Morgan's eyes shot daggers at Melanie. "Calm down? Sabrina is missing, you dumbass. How am I suppose to react? I am not acting crazy!" Morgan yelled boldly. She spun around and glared at me. "YOU LITTLE BRAT! YOU DID SOMETHING TO SABRINA! YOU HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT! YOU AND YOUR LITTLE FREAKSHOW BUDDY!" Fueled with nothing but emotions, she grabbed my arm suddenly. Alyona was frozen in place. "MORGAN!" She wept. She proceeded to violently tug me forward. Melanie ran to my rescue. "STOP! STOP!" She screamed, shoving Morgan flat on her ass. Morgan released out an angry cry and shot up the middle finger to Melanie. Alyona appeared appalled by this and inched away from the scene. I glared at this cunt full of hatred. I intended to make this bitch suffer. I couldn't kill her, especially after killing Sabrina. I wanted to torture her, anything that will evoke misery. Morgan gave me a furious gaze as she picked herself up. I managed to flash her a brief wicked smile to freak her out. Morgan just became infuriated. Melanie got in front of me like a shield. "Stop! Or I will call Mom and Dad!" She threatened. Then Morgan threw up her hands in the air in frustration. "FUCK THIS!" With that, she stormed up the stairs to her room and slammed the door violently.

"Dumb cunt needs to learn a lesson." I thought darkly. I needed something to get me through the day. I just feel empty. I can't take her life, but perhaps I could force her into silence. I returned back to comfort my remaining daughter.

I embraced her warmly. Alyona sniffled. "Morgan is crazy. Why would she accuse you and Constance?" She questioned innocently. I whispered into her ear gently. "She's just a bully." Alyona accepted my answer and pulled away. "I just want to be alone." She mumbled sorrowfully. She headed upstairs. Eventually, with thoughts of revenge in my head, I headed upstairs as well. I felt jittery from all of this, I had too much energy to just sit down and relax. I wandered aimlessly upstairs with millions of thoughts in my mind. I found myself in the hallway bathroom. I desired privacy, so I closed the door behind me and locked it. I was alone with my thoughts.

I thought about Sabrina and the delightful moments we had. But once I remembered her terrified expression of seeing my true form, all of those memories faded away, leaving my mind barren. Then I caught a glimpse of something in the corner of my eye.

"HOLY SHIT!" I gasped, my mouth dropped wide open at the sight of a pregnancy test in the trash bin. The trash bin was almost brimful of wrapped feminine products and tissue. The pregnancy test stood out like a sore thumb. I grabbed it out of sheer curiosity and my eyes widened when I saw it was positive.

I smiled wickedly. My mind was debating on what is happening. Someone in this household is pregnant. I immediately thought of Morgan and Melanie. I imagined myself exploiting this to torment Morgan with it. I never knew what exactly happened on that fateful day, but I assume they had a threesome and Melanie quit because she was mortified. I wondered if it was Melanie that was pregnant. I did like the girl. I tolerate her. Honestly, if I ever had a child, I would like that child to grow up with the same personality of Melanie. I had no grudge against her at all. Then I thought of Wanda. "She could be expecting herself." I was dubious of that thought because she already has her hands full. Adopting me and Alyona and gaining custody of a temperamental child, such as Sheila. Having another child seems to be foolish.

I pondered deeply to myself. If Wanda was expecting, it would be unplanned. But I have no idea of knowing. It's bizarre how life goes. Someone dies and another person is created. I sat on the toilet, staring at the pregnancy test. A wave of sudden self-pity impacted me. Just seeing this pregnancy test made me feel great envy. I would love to get pregnant. More than anything in the world. I desire to carry a child inside of me. But life did not give me that chance. My Father destroyed my reproductive system, making me infertile. I collected myself and focused my mind on my revenge.

 _ **Next chapter will come. Reviews and thoughts.**_


	29. Sabrina's Home

The Weiss house was so silent you could hear a pin drop. It was one day since Sabrina went "missing." The environment of the house was no longer open and pleasant. It was haunting and eerie.

I sat at the dining table, slowly eating my mashed potatoes. I glanced at Wanda. Her skin was ashen, her bloodshot eyes are filled with despair, her movement was slow and sluggish. She was silent, she did not utter one word ever since she returned. Cole was next to her, he appeared worried, sorrowfully staring at this unfinished meal.

I heard Melanie sniffled. She has been crying for the longest. Her face was beet red, her eyes were puffy. Tears rolled down her cheeks like a river. She picked at her food as snot leaked out of her nostril.

No one uttered a word.

In my bedroom was the pregnancy test I discovered. I concealed it under my mattress. I have no clueless whom the owner is, so I was debating if I should exploit it or not. I glanced at the somber twins. I stuck out like a sore thumb at the table. I was the only one who was not crying or appearing sad in anyway. My face was just blank and emotionless. I thought of Constance. I haven't been to her house for a long time. She wasn't at school either.

Wanda seemed to notice this. "Mercy?" She croaked, her voice was hoarse and raw from her sobbing. "How are you feeling?" She asked me. Her voice was coated in maternal compassion. Her eyes spoke to me of her love for me.

"I'm fine." I said softly.

Wanda did not believe me. "Mercy, look at me, honey." She told me gently. I obeyed.

"Mercy, we will find Sabrina." Wanda reassured me with tearful eyes. "She will come back. I know you two were close. She will come back, I promise."

I forced out a small smile. "Yes, Mommy." I said swiftly. Wanda gave me a faint smile. "In fact, me and you should do something together," She gazed at the other children. "We should all do a family activity." I glanced at Wanda. Her eyes were still broken, but she managed to smile resiliently. Wanda wholeheartedly believes Sabrina is alive and will come home safe and sound.

Little to no one believed that. The biological children gave their Mother brief glances.

"I'm not hungry." Morgan mumbled under her breath. She got up from the table and hurried upstairs without a word.

Wanda was still smiling, even though I could tell from her pained expression, it hurt. I did not care for this woman at all and I ignored her. I pretended to be sullen. "I'm fine, Mommy. I swear. Just tired." I whined.

Wanda sniffled, a stream of tears dripped down her cheeks. She was understanding. "I know. I know. I'm tired too. I'm sorry, I shouldn't be pressuring you. Do whatever you want, kay?" Wanda said mildly.

With that, Wanda became overwhelmed with extreme emotions. She left the table without a word.

I glanced at Cole. My darling Cole was despondent. A pang of regret hit me like a tidal wave. I did not wish to bring misery to my soulmate.

"Sabrina will come back." I said to him with a beautiful smile. Cole looked at me with broken eyes. I got out of my chair and warmly embraced him. I kissed Cole on the forehead with sheer compassion flowing through me.

Cole hugged me back, he was completely charmed by gesture. "Thank you, Sweet Pea. I love you, Mercy."

I planted one long kiss on his forehead. "I love you too." I whispered sincerely. Cole's eyes lit up with life.

Once dinnertime was finally over, everyone shuffled back into their respective bedrooms and shelled themselves. It was utterly silent in the house. I sat in my bedroom, completely numb mentally and emotionally. I was listless. I only had Alyona left as my beloved daughter. I have given up on Sheila. All of my maternal feelings towards her was nonexistent. It's for the best, Sheila kept rejecting me repeatedly and I do not react well with rejection.

I didn't want to have to kill again. I still felt anxious about my deed. I felt no confidence or pride from it at all. I didn't wake up one morning and decide to kill Sabrina. It was either her or my freedom. I was locked away for YEARS! I will never allow myself to return that barren cell at the dreadful hospital! I don't want to end Sheila's life.

So thus, I grew indifferent to Sheila. I did not care for her at all. She was just another pawn that will be removed once I seduce Cole. I imagined my life with Cole. Alyona would be my beloved daughter, Cole would be my dutiful husband, and I will be the diligent matriarch. That's all I want. Just a simple family life. I gazed at myself in the mirror and I glared at my reflection. "You just had to take off your makeup!" I fumed. Intense emotions boiled in my chest.

As days turned into weeks, the household grew somber. Wanda began to try to bond with me. Perhaps she saw me as a replacement goldfish. Maybe she has subconsciously realized that her daughter is dead and never coming back.

Wanda loved me like a daughter, I could tell she saw me as blood and flesh. Wanda would constantly bring me on small trips to the grocery store, trying to make a motherly connection with her shy adoptive daughter.

When one week turned into three weeks, life in the Weiss household grew downcasted every second. Two days later, Sabrina's body was recovered from the frozen lake. It was the most terrifying day of my life. It was a normal day at the Weiss's house, it was a snowy Tuesday afternoon. I sat on the living room couch watching TV to distract myself from my never-ending anxiety.

KNOCK! KNOCK! Cole sauntered out of the dining room to open to the front door. My blood ran cold at the sight of a police officer. It was a female officer with tan skin and short black hair. Her mere presence sent dreadful chills down my spine. I felt my stomach churn, I used all of my willpower not to vomit. I became stiff as a statue on the couch.

I heard a glass break. I turned to my head to see Wanda stiffly standing in the archway of the kitchen. Her eyes are wide as saucers. Her face was ghastly pale. I looked down to see a fragments of a shattered cup near her feet.

Wanda took one long look at the officer and burst into mournful tears. She knew what was going to be foretold to her, she didn't need the officer to speak.

Wanda broke down, her eyes was a broken faucet. She fell to her knees from the overwhelming emotion of grief.

My mind ran a mile a minute. How the fuck did they find her body? I worried about my story unraveling. My heart was drumming in my chest.

I learned eventually Sabrina's body floated to the opening. Arthur discovered it when he was cleaning the shed.

"She's dead…" I heard Cole's sorrowful voice croak. Cole's movement was sluggish and weak. He looked like he was going to faint. I felt a tidal wave of guilt. "I am so sorry, my love. But I had to do this to protect my freedom. To keep me in this house so I could be your dutiful wife." I said in my head. Every word in my head was genuine. I do feel remorse for hurting the man I love. Cole doesn't deserve this. I thought of Alyona, self loathing filled me. I have forced her to endure another death. She's too young to experience such trauma. I worried about her mental state, how will all of these murders affect her psyche when she grows up? I slammed my fist on my thigh in frustration. _You are a terrible Mother, Alanna. A Mother is supposed to protect and nurture her little ones. Not scar them for life!_ I ranted to myself silently.

The arrival of the officer was short, but profound. She notified the family of Sabrina's death. Wanda's mournful sobs echoed through the house. Cole was silent, choked up with emotions, he sat down in a chair in the living room. I did feel sad about Sabrina's death. She was my daughter after all, but I can't say I'm grieving. I didn't take her life technically, but I did help take her life. I wondered about Constance. I dismissed the idea of her feeling remorse. She's a psychopath who is willing to kill without a second thought.

All there was inside of me was a void.

"We will get to the bottom of this, Mrs. Weiss." The officer reassured a grieving Wanda. My heart spiked with fear. I made sure to evade eye contact with the officer. A wave of relief hit me when she left.

It was a somber Sunday afternoon when Wanda made an announcement. Three days passed after Sabrina's death. Despair and grief plagued this once happy family. Oddly enough, Wanda was in high spirits. She was a resilient woman, I'll admit.

"Everyone, I have two announcements." Wanda declared with a hopeful smile. The table was silent, no one uttered a word.

"I have just made a blog!" Wanda beamed. "It's called "Sabrina's Home!" Wanda's eyes danced with delight.

Melanie sniffled. "What is it?"She asked in a small voice.

"Well Sabrina is looking down at us. She wants us to be happy. To be a happy family." Wanda had to pause to compose herself as her emotions overwhelmed her.

"Sabrina would want us to give a child a happy life." My eyes widened with shock. I caught Cody staring at me. "Are you going to adopt again?" He whined to his Mother.

"No. Foster. I want to foster. Give a unfortunate child a chance at life." Wanda explained. She looked at everyone for approval. "What do you think?"

Cody was upset. "That's so stupid!" He fumed. Cole shot his son a stern look. "Watch your mouth!" He rebuked. Cody slumped in his chair.

Alyona cracked a small smile. "It sounds great, Wanda. Sabrina would love it." She said supportively.

Melanie smiled as well. "Yeah. You're right. Sabrina would love that. She was very excited when we got Mercy and Alyona."

Morgan appeared disheartened. She glared at her Mother begrudgingly. "So you're replacing Sabrina, already?" She snapped.

Wanda shook her head. "No, Morgan. I'm not replacing her." Morgan was not convinced. Her eyes grew livid with emotions. "Sabrina is dead! And the first thing you think of is FOSTERING another kid! Mom, Sabrina just died!" Morgan seethed. Wanda appeared hurt. "Morgan, I am not replacing Sabrina. No one could." She reassured.

Morgan's tongue became bitter. "Oh, like how you didn't replace Sabrina with Mercy or Alyona or Sheila!" My eyes widened in shock at the audacity at this girl.

Wanda collected herself. She allowed her daughter's harsh words to roll down her back. "I want to give a child a home. That's it. Sabrina would want this. Me and Daddy did the application to be foster parents months ago. We have a caseworker and everything!"

I pitched in. My voice was coated with innocence. "I think fostering is a great idea!" I chirped. I got a smile out of Wanda when I said this.

"Thank you." Wanda said to me. Afterwards, everyone finished their meal and headed upstairs. Alyona and I went into my bedroom and we both sat on my bed.

Alyona appeared somber. "Wanda's idea seems really nice." She remarked. Alyona smiled and looked up at the ceiling. "At least Sabrina is in a better place." She said cheerfully. I smiled her optimism.

I contemplated the positives and negatives of this foster care idea. I could find another little daughter. But then again, a little dipshit could come to this house. I only hoped that the future child that comes here will not give me a hard time. Honestly I was indifferent to this unless it is beneficial to me. I did find it odd that Wanda jumped to fostering after learning of Sabrina's death. I know everyone grieves differently, but to foster children literally AFTER learning about your biological child's death. This house is crammed enough. With moody Cody, Melanie, bitchy Morgan, that mental case child, Sheila, me and Alyona. Another child with possible baggage. It doesn't seem like a good idea.

Alyona scooted closer to me. "Mercy." She said in a tender voice. "I'm really happy you're here with me." She told me. Her bright eyes spoke to me. She loved me wholeheartedly. I wasn't just her friend. I was her family. Alyona showcased her trust in me by laying her little head on my lap. My heart was warmed by this gesture. I was touched.

"Thank you." I said in a small voice. With that, I put a hand in her soft hair and stroked her hair gently.

Alyona became sentimental. "When I first came to the Orphanage, I was so scared that I was going to be there for forever. That no one would want me. I was alone in this country. But...then I met you. And everything got better." She explained in a sincere voice.

"I always wanted a sister. I mean, I have a brother, but he's still in Russia. And...I don't think I'm going back to Russia anytime soon." I could sense the homesickness brewing in her voice. "America is nice. I really do like it. But….sometimes I wish I could at least visit Russia. Just for a day at least."

I smiled. I loved this tender moment. I thought of Estonia. I missed my home as well, but not to a strong degree. I have adapted and accepted America as my new home. I allowed Alyona to continue talking.

"I….really like that you're always looking out for me. You're so tough and brave. You're like a big sister to me." Alyona removed herself from my lap and embraced me lovingly. I felt euphoria overflowing through me. I gave her a loving kiss on her forehead. "I love you, Alyona." I told her.

Alyona kissed me on the cheek with a beautiful smile. "I love you too!" She exclaimed.

Alyona laid on her head on my shoulder. "When...when Alyssa died, I was so…..scared. It was scary that there was a murder in the house. I didn't like her, but….I...I..didn't want her dead. But you were so brave. You kept cheering me up and protecting me from bullies. I want to be like you." Alyona hugged me tighter.

I felt strange hugging Alyona at that moment. I did not want Alyona to be like me. "No. No. Be yourself." I told her. I felt like I was a lie. I was. Every action, every movement, every word, every smile and hugs I give is a lie. Mercy doesn't exist, Mercy is nothing but a costume with a painted mask. Alyona was hugging Alanna. A homicidal, deluded psychopath who has taken lives left and right. A woman that was sexually abused by her Father and in her twisted mind, tricked herself into thinking it was true love. A woman that commits cold blooded homicides. Alyona must never be me.

"Always be yourself." I whispered in her ear passionately.

Alyona was silent. She released me and appeared thoughtful. I planted another light kiss on her forehead. She gave a small smile. "Thanks." She whispered happily.

Then my bedroom door opened a ajar. I glared at the sight of Morgan barging into my bedroom. She was giving me a cold look. The teenager hated my presence here. Ever since Sabrina's death, I have avoided her.

"You had something to do with Sabrina's death!" She pointed an accusing finger at me. "You said that Sabrina ran away when she was found in the lake. You know something, Mercy!" She raised her voice. "TELL ME! WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY LITTLE SISTER?"

Alyona was frozen in place, fear was framed in her eyes. I rolled my eyes and I pretended she didn't exist.

Morgan clenched her teeth, her fists were balled up. "TELL ME, MERCY!" She demanded in a shrill voice. Her voice pierced my ears.

I decided to defend myself. "I have nothing to do with it, Morgan!" I said boldly. I did not want to waste time talking to this filth. "I will tell Mommy and Daddy if you don't go away!" I threatened.

Morgan rolled her eyes. "You need to go back to that Orphanage! It's bad enough that Mom has this crazy idea about replacing Sabrina, ever since you came, things went shit!" Morgan seethed. I did not care about this anymore. I hopped off of my bed, I walked to my bedroom door, preparing to shut it in Morgan's face. Morgan realized this and when I attempt to close the door, she shoved the door back with all of her strength. The force was too strong for me and I fell straight on my ass. My anger burned within me like a furnace. I glared at Morgan coldly.

"YOU LITTLE BRAT! I KNOW THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU! ALL OF THIS IS BECAUSE OF YOU! ALL OF THIS! YOU AND THAT FREAKSHOW!" Morgan ranted.

I scrambled to my feet, never removing my callous gaze at Morgan. I was hoping someone would come to my aid.

I then remembered the pregnancy test. I smiled wickedly. "If you don't leave me alone, I'll tell Mommy and Daddy your little secret." I threatened.

Morgan was disturbed. "Excuse me?" She gasped. "What are you talking about, you little creep?"

"I found a pregnancy test in the bathroom." I admitted honestly.

Morgan's eyes widened with shock. "Oh my God…" She mumbled. "That's...that's not mine!" She stammered. I gave the girl an evil smile. I chuckled wickedly as all of her confidence vanished. Morgan glared at me. "You keep your mouth shut."

"You keep your legs closed!" I smirked. This infuriated Morgan, she looked like she wanted to punch me.

"YOU DISGUSTING BRAT, YOU PICKED UP A PREGNANCY TEST FROM THE TRASH! YOU LITTLE CREEP!" Morgan fumed. "WAIT UNTIL I TELL MOM AND DAD ABOUT YOUR LITTLE SNOOPING!"

Bursting with pride, I giggled. "I WILL TELL MOMMY AND DADDY ABOUT THAT THREESOME YOU HAD WITH BRANDON!" Morgan's mouth dropped, her skin became pale.

"Don't!" Morgan snarled.

Morgan backed out of the bedroom doorway. Her eyes were wide with panic. "Forget it." She fumed. With that, she walked away from my bedroom. I smiled pridefully to myself.

Alyona looked at me with alarm. "What just happened?" She cried. She was beyond confused.

I remained composed. "I found a pregnancy test." I said. "Don't worry about it." I reassured.

"Does Wanda and Cole know? They are planning on fostering. They shuld know." Alyona pointed out.

I shrugged my shoulders lazily. "I don't know. Maybe. It's not for us to worry about, Aly." I told her dismissively.

Alyona could see that I was not interested about this and proceeded to change the subject. "Speaking of kids, who do you think Wanda will bring home? You think it will be a boy or a girl?" I chuckled at how innocent she sounded. You would think from her tone, she was talking about a small puppy instead of a child.

"I hope a girl." I said frankly.

"I want a boy. I want a little brother. My big brother would always tell me that he wished I was a boy." She chuckled to herself. I chuckled along with her.

Then there was a knock on the door. At first, I believed it was Morgan ready to go apeshit, but Wanda opened the door before I could do anything. She barged into my bedroom with a bright red laptop in her arms and a massive smile on her face.

"Mercy, Alyona, I want to show you two the blog!" She chirped happily. Without even asking, she plopped on my bed. I had to use all of my willpower not to frown at her blatant disrespect for my privacy. She put the laptop in her lap, I looked at it to see the website. It was a colorful and cheerful blog with dozens of mashed up pictures of Sabrina. There was one photo of the original Sabrina. A smiling little girl with chocolate hair and glistening blue eyes. She looked like a child bursting with liveliness. At the very top was the large bold title: Sabrina's Home.

Wanda showed us her deepest, darkest story that she wrote for the entire world to read. She wrote about the late Sabrina in great detail. She wrote vaguely about her alcoholism and her divorce. She wrote about me and Alyona and how she adopted us.

Wanda sighed emotionally. "I'm so happy that I adopted you two." She told us with a smile. Alyona was touched, tears rolled down her cheeks. "Thank you. I'm happy too." She croaked. At that moment, I felt a pang of jealousy.

Alyona is MY daughter. She is MINE! Just like Cole, she is mine and mine alone. I glared at Wanda full of hatred. I despised this woman's existence. I was not angry at Alyona, but I did wish she knew of my maternal feelings towards her.

"Now my caseworker told me we will get a kid very soon!" Wanda teased.

Alyona gasped with excitement. "Who?" She probed.

"Its a girl. She's nine. And she is really nice." Wanda explained. "Her name is Emma. I think you guys will like her."

Alyona smiled. "I can't wait!" She said cheerfully.

I found myself interested. Perhaps this could be my replacement for Sabrina? I wish I had a photo of her.

I smiled brightly. "I can't wait either!" I squealed. I felt like the world was giving me a second chance.

…...

It was the very next day when little Emma arrived at the Weiss's house. I was enthralled by her almost instantly. She was one foot shorter than me and small with dark brown hair and beautiful green eyes. She looked like Constance almost. Her skin was pale and unblemished. She had a girly appearance to her. She wore a vibrant red dress with black tights with a thick coat. Her hair was neat and prim. She looked like a refined little girl.

I greeted her immediately. "Hello, my name is Mercy." I chirped. Her social worker spoke to Wanda and Cole as everyone else greeted Emma.

Emma smiled brightly at me. "I'm Emma."

Sheila glared at Emma when Emma approached her. Sheila inched away from her as if she had the plague. Emma noticed this, but this rudeness did not dampen her spirits. Morgan gave Emma a hard time as well. "Don't touch anything!" She snarled coldly. Emma was not fazed. "Morgan!" Melanie snapped. Morgan rolled her eyes and walked off. Alyona greeted her warmly.

Emma seemed to have taken a great liking to me. She skipped over to me with a broad smile. "Where is my bedroom?" She asked me. Wanda spoke before I could open my mouth. She just finished talking to the social worker. "I could show you!" She offered. I frowned unhappily. Emma smiled gratefully. "Thank you!" She said politely. She flashed Wanda a sweet smile.

"Can I come?" I begged. Wanda nodded. I followed Wanda as she gave Emma a thorough tour of the house. We headed into another room that was often referred to the music room. It was very close to the basement and Cole's office. The room had a large black piano and several other instruments scattered around. I rarely came in here despite my love for music. I used to play the piano frequently when I was young. Emma was smiling ear to ear. I was happy that she was not a little shit.

"This place is so huge!" Emma exclaimed.

"Do you love it?" Wanda asked. I could see that this idea was lifting up her spirits. She was on cloud nine.

"It's perfect!" She squealed happily. Wanda was completely charmed.

Wanda escorted the child upstairs, showing her bedroom. It was Sabrina and Sheila's room. I found her sleeping in here morbid. Emma was completely unaware when she gazed around the bedroom with a smile.

"I'm going to start dinner. Have fun, Emma." Wanda chirped. With that she walked out of the room. There I was, alone with Emma. Compassion overflowed through me. My maternal instincts burst. In my mind, this girl was my new daughter. I helped the little girl unpack her bags. I watched her diligently folding her clothing and put them in her dresser. I could read her personality from her movement and actions. She had a refined vibe from her. Emma wasn't hyper or loud, she was quiet and soft-spoken. She wasn't like Alyona, she didn't seem shy. She had no fear of meeting others. From her clothing that ranged from beautiful dresses, skirts, and feminine clothing, she clearly cared very much about appearance. She reminded me of a little princess.

"I love your dress!" Emma gushed. Her eyes dazzled with delight. I smiled at her lovingly. Emma flashed me a charming smile. I gave her one back.

"You're going to like it here." I told her. "If you have any problems, tell me." I said gently.

Emma nodded. "I will!" She beamed.

"You're going to sleep in MY bedroom!" Sheila's angry voice echoed through the room. I spun around to see an upset Sheila standing in the doorway. Her eyes are locked onto Emma, I could see the bitterness and the grudge she has against her. Sheila glared at her coldly. "Do not touch my stuff!" She hissed.

Emma wanted no confrontation. She nodded solemnly. "I won't." Emma promised.

Sheila visibly wanted a conflict. She stormed towards Emma, with balled fists. "You're not replacing Sabrina! Don't get comfortable, you're going to go back to foster care and no one would care!" Her tone was harsh and piercing. I glared at her, as anger filled me. I approached Sheila with cold eyes, me and her exchanged a bitter look to each other. "Stop it!" I growled at her. "Leave her alone!"

"Shut up, Mercy!" Sheila snapped. I was ready to pounce on this little bitch. My indifference turned into instant hatred.

Emma appeared unfazed. "It's fine. I will not touch anything." She remained calm. Sheila was infuriated by Emma's mild nature. Sheila took a angry step towards Emma, getting into her face. Emma still kept her cool.

Sheila escalated the situation by giving Emma a hard shove. Emma staggered back with a startled gasp. "YOU'RE JUST A FOSTER KID, EMMA! DO NOT TALK TO ME! EVER! YOU LITTLE BITCH!" Sheila shrieked. Sheila grew beet red with fury.

I considered beating Sheila black and blue, but I used all of my willpower to control myself.

"Stop, please." Emma begged. I was amazed how mature she was. She didn't seem angry at all, she was still keeping her cool. This child is a gift to me. A perfect daughter I could raise with Cole by my side.

I hurried towards Sheila, but I was not fast enough to stop Sheila from physically attacking Emma. The overemotional Sheila roughly grabbed a chunk of Emma's hair and pounced on her. Emma was fighting back feebly, crying out in pain. I ran to the girls to pry them apart. "STOP! STOP!" I hollered. I yanked Sheila off violently. "FUCK OFF!" I snarled lowly. Emma gave Sheila a look that I could only describe as unnerving and cold. I am reminded of Constance.

"WHAT'S WRONG?" Cole appeared in the doorway with worried eyes. Then I watched Emma began to weep. It was well timed and heavy. "She hit me!" Her face was beet red. I pointed a finger at Sheila. "Sheila attacked Emma!" I said. Sheila shot me a furious look. I ignored her.

Cole appeared angry. "SHEILA!" Cole shouted. Cole hurried over to a hysterical Sheila. Sheila had a meltdown. "NO! NO! NO! SHE STARTED IT!" Cole did not care for her meltdown and took the wailing girl out of the room.

Sheila's sobs echoed through the hall. I caught a glimpse of Emma displaying odd behavior. Her tears ceased within seconds of Sheila leaving the room. Her face was slowly becoming pale again, I saw her lips curl in a sly smirk.

Did she fake cry? I thought. Then I dismissed that thought. At least Emma got Sheila in trouble. Emma sniffled at me. "Who is Sabrina?" She asked me innocently.

I felt heaviness in my chest. I did not want to talk about Sabrina honestly. But I didn't want to lie to this child. "Sabrina is Wanda and Cole's daughter. She died not long ago. Lots of people were upset." I revealed.

Emma gave me a blank expression. "Oh." She mumbled. I didn't expect sorrow from her as she never met Sabrina. "Why are they angry at me?" Emma questioned.

I was gentle in my approach. I made sure my voice was soft and kind. "You didn't do anything. Everyone is just mourning." I told her. I stroked her hair gently, Emma did not mind this. Emma's blank expression doesn't change. "That has nothing to do with me. People die all the time. Everyone is going to die. All of us are going to die one day." Her voice was still gentle, but gravely serious. She wasn't childishly innocent about death, she was resolute about what she said. I was shocked by this statement. At this point, I realized that Emma wasn't exactly normal. At least in a emotional sense. I was baffled by the series of events. (I know this revelation seems very unrealistically fast, but this was how it was.) Emma came off as a angelic child, but almost immediately I learned that this child was very "different." My love for this child still remained. My affection for this child grew every passing second.

I could tell that Emma trusted me wholeheartedly. I loved how fast our relationship formed.

When I went to bed that night, I was smiling out of pure joy. I had many anxiety swirling in the deepest depths of my mind. My time here until I seduce Cole, and the most terrifying of all was the investigation into Sabrina's death.

I can only hope for the best.

 _ **In the next chapter, Mercy will learn more about her new "daughter" Emma. In the meantime, Sabrina's murder is being investigated and eventually Mercy herself will be questioned about her story.**_


	30. Sweet and Spice

"Mercy, it's time to go!" Cole called out to me from downstairs. I heard the grieving sobs of Wanda emanating throughout the house. Despite Emma's arrival, all of Wanda's high spirits and resilience has been replaced with grief and despair upon the morning of Sabrina's funeral. I hoped that Wanda would not become a wretched mess, until I seduce Cole, I need Wanda to be a stable parent. Awhile Sabrina is lying lifeless inside of a polished coffin, I'm standing in my bedroom, staring at myself in the mirror. I wore a dress that was dark as night. A appropriate dress color for the today's service. I frowned unhappy at myself. I desired Alyona's presence and I hated that she chose to go to the funeral. I did not desire to go. Ever since Emma arrived in my life, I did not want any reminders of Sabrina. I wanted to burn her down her bedroom. Burn all of possessions and all reminders of her. I hated going into her bedroom, I just become numb from head to toe. I took my sweet time, I wanted to keep the family waiting on me. I contemplated how I could charm my way out of this. I simply wanted to spend time with my brand new daughter. I brushed my hair delicately and slowly. My mind raced with millions of thoughts. I recollected all of the pleasant moments I have experienced with this family. I remembered how blissful and normal this family was when I first arrived. There are hues of happiness within this family from time to time, but the hues are overcasted by the perpetual fog of despair that looms over this house.

"Mercy! Mercy!" Cole kept shouting. When I still refused to respond, I heard his footsteps scurrying up the stairs. My bedroom door was opened a ajar and Cole knocked on my bedroom door softly. He respected my privacy. "Can I come in, Sweetheart?" Cole asked politely. My heart soared with gratefulness. This man will always enthrall me.

I smiled when he said that. "Yes, Daddy." Cole entered my bedroom precisely. He managed to crack a small smile at me.

I saw his reflection in my mirror, he appeared pale with depression. He was dressed dark clothing with a worn face. "It's time to go, Mercy." He told me in a faint voice. Just looking at his wretched state caused tears to form in my eyes. I have caused so much pain to my love.

But regardless I did not wish to go to the funeral. I looked at Cole pitifully. "Daddy, I don't want to go." I whined.

Cole gave me a sympathetic look. He walked over to me, his movement was sluggish and weak. He bent down to my level and put a kind hand on my shoulder, compassion flowed through him. "Mercy, I know this is painful. But you have to go. For Sabrina." Every word he uttered was pained, he seemingly struggled with each word he said.

I was stubborn, I pretended to appear sorrowful, tears of feigned depression rolled down my cheeks like a rapid river. "Daddy, I don't want to go! Please, don't make me go!" I pleaded.

I watched Cole flinched from the desperation of my innocent voice. I could see the hesitation in his face. He looked at me with doting eyes. "Okay." Cole said. "You can stay here with Sheila and Emma."

I raised an eyebrow. "Sheila is staying?" I asked, struggling not to frown.

Cole nodded. "Yes. Sheila was very upset." I began to worry about Emma. My maternal instincts were activated. If Sheila so much as lays a finger on Emma, I will make her regret the day she was born!

"You'll have a babysitter. She's very nice and I know you will like you her. Her name is Amanda. She's be here in a little bit."

I nodded and smiled. "Yes, Daddy." I was screaming on the insides. I was a grown woman with a babysitter. Being Mercy is very degrading.

Cole gave me a gentle kiss on my forehead. I heard the annoying voice of Wanda yelling for her husband to come downstairs.

"I'm coming, honey. Mercy doesn't want to go." Cole shouted back.

Wanda sounded irked. "Just get down here! NOW! RIGHT NOW, COLE!" She demanded. Her tone was harsh and domineering. I looked at Cole's worn face, poor man was drained of energy. I frowned at how Wanda was speaking to my Cole! How dare this bitch disrespect MY Cole? He's grieving the same death! Sabrina was his daughter as well.

I planted a kind kiss on Cole's forehead. "Everything is going to be fine, Daddy." I reassured him. "I love you."

Cole managed to smile broadly. He was completely charmed by me. "I love you too, Mercy." With that, he hurried downstairs to his wife.

The babysitter arrived an hour late, I stood outside my bedroom, looking down at her and Cole talking downstairs. She was a average looking 17 year old girl. She had long blonde hair and chestnut eyes. She was willowy figure with a long face and a pointed nose. Wanda and the other children were in the car, ready to go. Cole spoke swiftly, visibly in a rush. "Remember call me if someone gets hurt, call 911 if there's an emergency. Emma, Sheila, and Mercy are all upstairs!" Then he bolted out of the house.

Amanda looked like any other typical teenager. Her brown eyes met mine. She smiled faintly. She waved at me. "Hi, are you Mary?" She asked me dumbly.

I nearly rolled my eyes. How do you mix "Mercy" with "Mary?" "It's Mercy." I corrected. I had no interest in this stupid girl and I walked away.

That's when Emma exited her bedroom, she had a sketchbook in her possession. She was dressed adorably in a ebony skirt and a crimson blouse. Her chocolate hair was neatly combed. Emma noticed Amanda and looked downstairs. Emma turned her head to me as I was inching towards my bedroom. "Is that Amanda?" She asked me.

I stopped, two inches away from my bedroom door. "Yes." I said. I wanted to spend quality time with my brand new daughter. I developed an idea and smiled jovially. "Time for Mommy to bond with her little angel." I chirped in my head. I scurried to Emma, smiling beautifully at her.

"What do you want to do today?" I asked her in a gentle voice. Emma gave me a dimpled smile. "I don't know. I….I...want to go to the room where the piano is." Emma answered softly.

"Sure!" I exulted. With that, I gently grabbed Emma's little hand and I escorted downstairs. I caught a glimpse of Amanda turning on the living room TV. She noticed us heading into the Music room. "What are you two doing?" She shouted.

"Nothing!" I shouted back. Amanda had no concerns and did not reply back.

I smiled brightly when Emma's eyes lit up with delight upon entering the Music room. I saw an easel in the corner. I desired to mentor Emma in the art of music and art. I recollected all of the moments I painted with my Alyona. Happy memories I still cling to this day.

I glanced at the beautiful piano. "I could teach you." I told Emma. Emma appeared confused. "You can play piano?" She questioned.

"Yep." I said gently.

Emma nodded, I led the little tot to the piano and we both sat on the long black chair.

I felt passion running through my veins like fire. I remembered my youthful years when I played piano. When I was small and innocent. I glanced at Emma. She reminded me of myself. Innocent and sweet. I remembered what occurred the first day she arrived. The day she displayed unchildlike behavior, but she seemed very childish and sweet currently. Deep down, I know there is something strange about her, but for the moment, I'm just enjoying our moments together.

I found her concept of death odd, but she is still a impressionable child.

"Push this key." I instructed. Emma obeyed me, pressing the A key. The room echoed with the loud note.

"Now push the B key." Emma was very focused. Her lips were a thin line of concentration. Her eyes were narrow and locked down on the keys. She was resolute to learn how to play.

"I want to play a song for you. Wanna hear it?" I offered. Emma beamed with excitement. "Yes!" She squealed, bursting with exburence.

I cracked my fingers and pressed my fingers on the keys. With grace in my heart and passion fueling my veins, I played the entire, beautiful song of the amazing Tchaikovsky, "August"

The music drummed through my eardrums. I reminisced about my moments with my Father. When we were not making love, we would have pleasant and tender moments of bonding. In our freetime, my Father and I would have wonderful experiences together. It was the kindness and warmth I loved. The smiles, the hugs, the kind words, and the gentle encouragement as I practiced creating lovely music.

Emma watched me in fondness. Once I finished, Emma smiled beautifully at me. "That was awesome!" She complimented.

Her eyes lit up with admiration. "You are really good!" Emma squealed. I giggled at this girl's enthusiasm.

"Thanks." I said. Emma narrowed her eyes again at the keys. "I need to learn how to be good too." She said adamantly. Then without waiting for me, Emma attempted to copy my notes. I watched her attempt attentively. It was off key and terrible.

Emma clenched her teeth in frustration. She was clearly an individual that hated making mistakes. Emma's narrow eyes turned into a glare of exasperation. "Come on!" She mumbled under her breath.

She kept messily fumbling with the keys, making terrible music echo throughout the music room. I was allowing her to make mistakes, I was reminded of myself when I was small. When I first learned, I grew upset very quick upon my dozens mistakes. But eventually I learned to accept my mistakes and I learned how to perfectly play a piano.

"Just keep going." I encouraged. Emma released out a huff and continued to fumble the keys. "No...no...no.." I heard muttering to herself bitterly.

I saw her face slowly beginning to turn red. I didn't want her to become angry, so I grabbed her right hand gingerly. "Let's take a break." Emma still eyed the piano keys with determination. I figured she was going to protest, but she simply released out a sigh. "Fine." She mumbled. Without a word, she hopped off of the chair and paced into the living room out of my sight.

"Wait up!" I got up from the chair to follow her. Emma was fast, she was already upstairs, when I bolted through the living room, I didn't see Amanda in the living room. I followed her briskly. Emma was fuming from her failures. She then stopped in her tracks in the middle of the hallway. I stared at her back, confused on why she stopped. There was nothing bizarre or alarming around us. All there was the wide open door of the master bedroom. I raised an eyebrow at the bright light of the bathroom within the master bedroom. Swiftly I realized Amanda was in there. Emma was curious, not aware of my presence behind her. The little girl slowly walked inside of the bedroom. She stopped inches from the bathroom. I silently followed her inside, Emma finally noticed my presence, turning her head to briefly glance at me. She was staring into the bathroom, I took one step forward to look inside the bathroom. The bathroom was wide and polished. A oblivious Amanda was too occupied looking at herself in the mirror. Two drawers were pulled open, I heard an odd sound of pills being shook. I grew curious about this. This was a bizarre change of events.

Amanda giggled to herself. Then I heard the faucet running for a brief moment. I took one small step to take a closer peek into the bathroom. My mouth dropped at the sight of Amanda swallowing two white pills. After she swallowed them, she poured out two more white pills and put it into her pant pockets. Instantly I thought of Alyssa. Another fucking druggie! I began to worry about Emma's wellbeing. I grabbed her shoulders to take her away from this scene. But Emma is like a statue, planted to the floor and refusing to budge. She was eyeing Amanda like a hawk.

I gave Emma one good yank and I manage to pull her away from the bathroom. We exchanged one look and we walked out of the bedroom without incident. Me and Emma retreated into the safety of my bedroom. I had my door opened a slight crack as Emma hopped on my bed. I felt my anxiety bursting through my head. I should have dragged Emma away the moment I heard the pill shaking. Once again, I have failed to protect my child's innocence.

I turned to face Emma. Emma was composed. She didn't seem disturbed at all, instead she appeared perplexed.

"Why is she taking drugs?" Emma asked me if I knew all of the answers in the world.

I walked over to her and spoke in a gentle voice. "I'm not sure, but she tell Mommy and Daddy to make sure she doesn't do it again." My suggestion was mild compared to what I wanted to do. I wanted to kill this little bitch for displaying such disgusting behavior in front of my child! I wanted to jam the entire bottle of pills into her mouth, increasing her likelihood of a fatal overdose. I saw her violently convulsing and twisting like a dying fish as I loomed over her. I have seen overdoses before. Many of my clients has used drugs, but I have only witnesses five overdoses. My prominent memory was one man high off of cocaine and meth dying from cardiac arrest before we could even have sex.

Emma looked me directly in the eyes. "We could make her do whatever we want." Emma suggested with a wicked glint in her lime green eyes. I was taken aback. I never took Emma as manipulative.

I wanted to say no to her, but I did like her idea.

Emma was smiling ear to ear. "We could get ice cream and cookies, Mercy." She teased. I opened my mouth to say something, when Amanda was walking from the master bedroom. Emma swiftly got off of my bed and to the door, she briskly opened the door.

"Amanda, can we watch a movie?" Emma begged. Amanda stopped in her tracks. I examined her, she still looked sober. She glared at Emma in annoyance. "Watch it yourself." She snapped. "I'm busy."

Amanda was seconds from walking away when Emma put her in her place. Emma's voice was sharp and firm. "Mr. Weiss told you to spend time with us. He specifically said you need to watch movies and play with us." Emma pointed out.

Amanda rolled her eyes with a exasperated groan. "Whatever. You and the little princess can pick the movie." Amanda mumbled bitterly.

I thought of Sheila and hoped she would not harass Emma. But Sheila was isolated in her bedroom. I sat on the couch with Emma and the druggy babysitter in the living room.

We watched a comedy that I paid little attention to. No one laughed at the film as the jokes were not humorous. Amanda sat on the right, I sat on the left, and Emma sat in the middle. Amanda slumped in her seat, looking bored as hell.

It was half an hour into the boring movie. "This movie is so retarded." Amanda complained. She huffed to herself. "I can't believe this bullshit." She said this glancing at her with annoyance framed in her eyes. Why the hell is she a babysitter? I found myself asking. She didn't seem like a person who enjoys the company of children. I guess for a 17 year old a $15/an hour payment can make you endure anything.

I stayed quiet and just enjoyed the warmth of the house. I desired Cole and Alyona to return.

Out of boredom, Amanda began to make small talk with us. I pretended the annoying girl didn't exist. I just wanted her out of my life. I was mortified by her mere presence. Amanda solely spoke to Emma.

"So..you're a foster kid? That's cool..how are you feel about that?" Amanda said halfheartedly.

"Fine." Emma said precisely.

"Where's your real parents?" Amanda asked airily. She pulled out her cell phone and began to text. She half paying attention to Emma.

"My Mom died when I was born. I have no idea where my Dad is." Emma answered bluntly. My heart burst with curiosity. I wanted to know everything about Emma.

Amanda was still bored, but she kept talking to pass the time. She didn't indulge into Emma's family history. "How is it like being a foster kid? You know with you going to homes to homes..got any stories?" She gestured to me. "Must be weird to be here, I mean she's adopted and you're just jumping through homes."

Emma nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders. "I've been in mostly good homes. I've never been in a abusive one. This one is pretty good." She said in a flat tone.

"Think this family will adopt you? I heard a lot of kids tends to not get adopted at all." Amanda remarked tactlessly.

Emma didn't bothered by this personal questions. I felt a great pity for Emma. My maternal feelings overflowed.

Ever so precisely and calmly, Emma answered the question without wasting a second. "I don't know. Maybe." Her voice was devoid of emotions. It was flat and cold. Amanda snickered at this, I glared at her callously. Anger boiled through my system. I desperately wanted to bash this girl's skull in. I saw a pen on the coffee table, I imagined myself stabbing her in the jugular. Every passing second, my disgust and contempt for this girl grew. She looked at me for a brief moment, I flashed her a dark scowl. The spoiled, inconsiderate bitch rolled her eyes at me and removed her eyes from me.

Where the fuck is the Weiss? When are they coming back? I wondered impatiently in my head. I heard footsteps wandering upstairs. Sheila was pacing through the house.

Amanda began to tease Emma. "You seem like a nice kid, wonder why you were not adopted by anyone?"

Emma shuffled in her seat, she turned her entire body to Amanda. "You ask a lot of questions." Emma stated coldly.

Amanda screwed up her face. She looked completely stupid. "Excuse me?" She then became offended. "I'm doing my job, watching you little turds." She retorted sharply.

"Stealing Mr. and Mrs. Weiss's pills is apart of your job?" Emma said flatly. I chuckled under my breath at the sight of Amanda's flabbergasted expression. "The fuck?" She squinted her eyes at Emma.

"I saw you take the pills. There's two in your pocket right now. I don't think the parents will be happy with their hired babysitter being a secret druggie." Emma's soft voice took on a sly tone.

Amanda was silent, staring at Emma as if she had three heads.

"May wanna put the other two pills back. I'm positive one of them will see that their pill bottles are missing pills. You're not smart if you really think you can get away with this." Amanda was sitting upright, her face tense and her teeth clenched.

"I think you should go get me and Mercy some ice cream. Two scoops and a cup of hot chocolate would satisfy." Emma suggested firmly.

Amanda opened her mouth to protest, but Emma interrupted her. "Unless you want your little secret out. I highly suggest you get the ice cream and hot chocolate now." Emma turned away from Amanda, a cold look is printed on her face. I couldn't help but smirk at how Emma made Amanda her bitch. Amanda huffed dramatically and scurried off the couch and into the kitchen.

Emma gave me a wicked smile. "You're welcome."

I said nothing. I was both proud and shocked at the same time.

Amanda begrudgingly obeyed Emma, giving me and her delicious ice cream and a steamy cup of hot chocolate.

Emma was smirking ear to ear. She began to promptly give out orders. "Amanda, I want a nice warm bubble bath waiting for me upstairs."

Amanda grew upset. "You little bitch!" She seethed. Amanda's voice was coated with contempt.

Emma chuckled at Amanda's disdain. Amanda's eyes flicked to me. "The fuck you looking at?" She hissed.

Impulsively, I shot the middle finger at this girl. I instantly formed my hand into a fist afterwards. Emma didn't seemed fazed by this.

Amanda's nostrils flared and she stormed upstairs. The movie was over and me and Emma decided to eat our sweet treats in my bedroom.

I shut the door with smile of contentment. The ice cream was sweet and enjoyable. I relished the delicious taste of the warm hot chocolate flowing down my throat. I enjoyed living in the present.

I glanced at my alarm clock to see it was 11:30AM. Sabrina's funeral was arranged to last until 3PM.

I saw Emma smile to herself as the sound of running water echoed through the hallway.

"We're going to have a fun day." Emma mused to me. She was brewing with cockiness. We both ate our sweets together on the soft bed. We both enjoyed our presences. Once we finished our treats, Emma was bursting with childish zeal. She grabbed a plush pillow and hit me with it. I beamed, bursting into cheerful laughter. I smiled in utmost delight. I grabbed a pillow and me and her engaged in a lively pillow fight.

Our little bonding time was short lived when Sheila knocked on my door angrily. "Stop making noises!" She hollered. Emma was beside herself. I felt my anger smoldering in my body. I glared at the door. "GO AWAY, SHEILA! NOW!" I screamed. Sheila kicked the door as hard as she could, flinging it open. I balled up my fists and gave her cold stare. "YOU LITTLE BITCH!" I yelled. I felt contempt looking at this bitch. She was a disheveled mess, her hair unkempt, her eyes were puffy from her crying, her skin was pale. "Get out of here now!" I snarled. My eyes turned dark. "GO!"

Sheila clearly wanted to fight. "Who do you think you are, Mercy?" She shrieked. Her face became red.

Sheila doesn't take me seriously. Impulsively, she took a step into my bedroom. She gave me cocky smile. "What's wrong? Scared, Mercy?" Sheila challenged. I took a aggressive step to her with balled up fists. "You wanna fight, you little cunt?" I snarled. I made sure to let Sheila know who is the true aggressor in this room. I gave her hard shove when she came too close. Sheila gasped and staggered back. I pointed a stern finger to the door. "Get the fuck out of here!" I ordered. Sheila scowled at me, she then charged at me with a wild scream, livid emotions dancing in her eyes. "FUCK YOU!" I spun out of the way, the stupid bitch ran straight into my bed. Emma made sure to keep out of the way, she was observing the confrontation from afar.

I smiled wickedly at the girl, chuckling heartily. "You idiot." I mocked. Ever since she attacked Emma, I wanted to test her buttons. "Sheila, you need to do better." I teased in my thick accent.

Sheila stomped her foot in fury. "SHUT UP!" Sheila leaped from my bed and charged at me again, once again I spun out of her way. I was inches away from my dresser. "I'm right here!" I sang. Sheila was livid and grabbed a book that I have forgotten to pick up. "FUCK YOU!" I had no time to react when she hurled the book at me, the book was hard and hit my right shoulder. I staggered into my dresser, sending sharp pain through my back. "OW!" Unbridled rage erupted inside of me. My eyes grew dark, I released out a angry cry, charging at the little bitch. I tackled her to the floor, Sheila was stunned, she became limp immediately. I battered her with my fists. I began to slap her across the face repeatedly. Sheila was weak and covered her head with her hands. I grabbed her little throat and I tightened my grip. Sheila was struggling, hysterically gasping for air. "ENOUGH!" I snarled. My voice took a ominous tone. "Do not mess with me, Sheila!" I warned her. "You will not like what happens next." Sheila lost all of her confidence and appeared terrified. She became limp. I released her throat and leaped off of her, eager to displaying my dominance. I was a loin and this girl was a frail gazelle. I stood over her with a evil smile. I placed a foot on her chest to prevent from getting up. "Do you really wanna fight me, Sheila?" I teased her with thick sarcasm. I glared at her cruelly. "Trust me, fighting me will have dire consequences."

"STOP!" Sheila screeched, she twisted and turned violently, causing me to lose my balance. I braced myself, ready to bawl. "COME AT ME!" I provoked. Sheila's eyes flickered. She has a sense of cautiousness. She knew that I was not to be trifled with.

Her eyes flicked to Emma. The little bitch chose to pick on the weak. "What are you looking at?" She taunted.

Emma rolled her eyes in disgust and said nothing. Emma was near my closet, leaning on the door. For some reason, Sheila was infuriated by Emma's silence.

Sheila snapped. "I HATE THE BOTH OF YOU! BOTH OF YOU NEED TO GO!" She screeched. Emma gave her a taunting smirk. "So?" She said airily.

Sheila's tongue became bitter and harsh. "YOU'RE JUST A FOSTER KID! NO ONE WILL EVER ADOPT YOU!" She yelled.

Emma's calm demeanor shifted into a morose and flat expression. "Your Mom is never going to get custody of you." She ridiculed.

I smiled at Emma for defending herself. Her words were cruel and disdainful. Sheila looked like she was going to explode. "EXCUSE ME?" She cried.

Emma smirked. "Cole told me your Mom is in jail, she chose to do drugs rather caring for you. I bet she likes rotting in prison rather than being around you." She mocked cruelly.

Tears of fury rushed out of Sheila's eyes. "FUCK YOU!" Sheila released out a wild scream and charged at Emma.

"NO!" I screamed, time went slow when Sheila tackled Emma. I was seconds from jumping in when I realized Emma was putting up a good fight. I looked on as Emma managed to get the upper hand, battering Sheila black and blue.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TWO DOING?" Amanda's intense yell made me flinch. Amanda bolted into my bedroom to pry the two girls apart. "ENOUGH! ENOUGH! STOP IT!"

Emma was surprisingly calm. She removed herself from Sheila and scurried away from her. Sheila proceeded to have a meltdown, crying and screeching. I ran to my daughter and wrapped my arms around her concerned. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"Yes." Emma said plainly.

"Stop struggling! Stop acting like this, Sheila!" Amanda fumed, she was struggling to restrain the livid girl. Sheila was kicking and squirming against her. "LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" Sheila protested.

Amanda had no patience. "I AM CALLING YOUR PARENTS! I AM CALLING THEM! STOP STRUGGLING! JUST STOP!" Amanda shrieked. I watched the two tussle and wrestle each other. I simply wanted them both to disappear. Finally Amanda gave up. "FUCK THIS!" She cried. With that, Amanda released the struggling child. Sheila lost her balance and fell into a pathetic heap onto the floor. Amanda stormed away angrily, her heavy footsteps echoing. Sheila just sat in my room, screeching incessantly. She bawled out her eyes. I scowled at her full of contempt. I covered my ears to block out her ear piercing screaming. I caught a glimpse of Emma glaring at her with a unnerving look. I heard her call the Weiss's couple immediately. "YES! SHE IS GOING INSANE!" Amanda cried.

Sheila was still screaming when me and Emma retreated out of my bedroom. I shut the door behind me.

Emma was cruelly snickering. "She is such a baby." I snickered with her, I was letting her get the better of me.

Then Emma seemingly lost interest in the situation. "Let's get some more ice cream!" She chirped. "We could even watch a better movie." I wanted to be away from all of this chaos so I agreed. Me and Emma went downstairs, Emma waltzed into the kitchen and I headed into the living room to pick a movie. I picked another comedy movie and I awaited Emma's return. Amanda and Sheila's screaming emanated from upstairs. I did my best to ignore them. Once Emma returned, she handed me a bowl of vanilla ice cream and a cup of hot chocolate. We both watched the movie. The movie was just boring as the first one. Then the deafening doorbell rang, nearly making me spill my ice cream.

Amanda is too occupied screaming her lungs out at Sheila to answer the door, so I got off of the couch. I hurried to the door and opened it. Once I do, the screaming ceased and all you could hear was Sheila crying her heart out. I gasped at the sight of Constance and Lilly standing outside. Lilly appeared to have been crying, her body language was poignant. The Warner family were not invited to the funeral. Constance showed no remorse at all, her face was fresh and pure. She smiled at me delightfully. "Mind if I hang out with you?" Constance chirped.

I was thrilled to see Constance. She was technically speaking the only person who truly understood me. "Sure." I agreed.

"Mercy," I looked up at Lilly, her eyes were brimful of sorrow. "Um….tell Wanda that I am sorry. Tell her I am very sorry." She pleaded.

I nearly rolled my eyes. I do not care about Lilly or Wanda. Both of them means nothing to me. But I forced a meek demeanor. "I will." I whispered.

Lilly sniffled as she became emotional. "I...I...didn't know anything would happen. Tell Wanda that I thought it was safe to play out there. I did not mean for anyone to get hurt." Lilly burst into broken tears.

I pretended to care. "I will. I promise." I vowed. I was eager to just slam the door in her face. Just leave! Go away! I screamed in my head.

Constance waved to her adoptive Mother with a coy smile. "Bye, Mommy." She said. Lilly sniffled and waved tearfully at Constance. I closed the door with a feigned smile. Constance huffed out of annoyance once the door was closed. "Finally." She groaned. Emma was observing us from the couch.

Constance and Emma met eyes and a deep pit forms in my stomach. Considering the murder of Sabrina, I don't trust her around my daughters. I felt that if I'm close to her, she will do nothing. So I stuck to Constance like white on rice as we made our way to the couch.

Emma was cordial and extended out her hand to Constance. "Emma. What's your name?" Emma introduced. Constance smiled affably. "Constance." She then shook Emma's hand. "Nice to meet you."

Constance sat on the couch, Emma was generous and brought Constance a bowl of ice cream. I thought of Clementine. I was charmed by that little tot. I considered adopting her as my new daughter, but unfortunately Clementine lived with her parents and Constance. Miles and miles away from me, she didn't go the same school as me or anything.

"How's Clementine?" I asked Constance.

Constance was nonchalant. "She's sick. There's a flu going around school and she's been puking all day," A rare hint of sympathy flashed in her eyes. "Poor little thing can't even keep down water."

I felt pity for the sweet child. Then I pondered about how the effects of Sabrina's murder on the Warner family.

I spoke in Russian to keep Emma from listening. "What happened afterwards? After Sabrina's death?"

Constance spoke in Russian as well. "Lilly was a fucking mess. She was crying and crying all the time. She actually fainted when Sabrina was found! She called Wanda dozens of times, trying to apologize. But Wanda never answered."

Constance began to eat her ice cream, her eyes danced with delight. "It's been so long since I had ice cream!" She exclaimed in her Russian tongue. Emma stared at us, baffled.

"Clementine was very sad. She kept crying and crying. Poor angel lost her friend that day." Constance said in a small voice. "Arthur was shaken by this. My poor love didn't say a word for the entire day."

Constance appeared tired. "Life at the house is….difficult. I was dying to get out of the house."

"SHEILA! Stop it!" I heard Amanda scream at Sheila, who was now weeping softly. Constance became curious. "Who's that?"

"A babysitter. Some stupid teenager named Amanda." I switched to English. Emma chimed in. "She's a druggie." Emma revealed.

Constance broke out into a hearty chuckle. I beamed at this moment. "Emma managed to make her into our servant!" I humored.

Constance burst into gleeful laughter. "That's great!" Constance said cheerfully. We all lost interest in the movie. "You think Sheila is out of the bedroom? I actually want to paint." Emma stated.

I opted to check. I didn't want Emma to be attacked again. "I'll go." With that, I headed upstairs and into the little one's bedroom. It was quiet, I didn't hear anything. Upon entering the bedroom, I was dumbfounded. The two girls has different sections of the wide room. Emma's side was tidy and organized. Even the smallest details were neat. I glanced at her organized bookshelf full of her golden trophies and awards from her past, all orderly organized in a row. I gazed them in admiration. When I was in school, I was a straight A student, but I never participated in school competitions or events. The room was empty, Sheila was nowhere to be found. I walked over her dresser, there is a cup of colorful crayons, the crayons are orderly. Bright colors in the front, dull colors in the back. Her bed was neatly made and her floor was spotless. Sheila's side was just plain messy. The easel was in at the end of the room near the wide window. The bedroom had a mini TV placed on Sheila's dresser. I called out to the others and we all gathered in the bedroom. As Emma showcased her ability to paint, we all chattered among ourselves. Laughing and giggling, we enjoyed this moment together. I can only hope all of this happiness could last.

 _ **Next chapter will come. Next chapter, Mercy fiercely protects Emma on her first day on school from bullies. Will one of the bullies throw Mercy off of the edge? Wanda and Cole learns a shocking secret. Leave reviews and thoughts.**_

 _ **P.S. I am rewriting The Avenging. I am planning to revise it and make it into first person rather than third person. Or at least I will try. I will still have Leona in there and most of my original ideas. I am still writing my other stories and adding chapters to my other stories.**_


	31. Emma's First Day

_**I will be updating The Infection, Only Us, Mercy and WD next. In the near future, The revised The Avenging will come.**_

I made sure wake up early in the morning to do my Mercy routine and awaken my two daughters. I curled my hair and painted my face with youthful makeup. The house was still slumbering as I tiptoed back to my bedroom.

My heart was soaring with contentment. This was the first time I was ever glad to go to school. My school here was still the same as my school life with the Sullivans. Cruel children laugh and taunt me because I was an outcast. I was a black sheep at school with no allies, expect my precious Alyona and Constance. But for the longest time, I have managed to allow the tormenting to roll down my back. Don't get wrong, I would like to strangle those little brats, but I need to make sure I avoid suspicion.

But now I have my little Emma and Alyona on my side. The more the merrier. I dressed myself in a creme colored frilly dress with a ebony ruffled skirt. I gazed at myself in the mirror and fixed up my dark blue hairbow. Once I was completely presentable, I exited out my bedroom and went to Alyona's room to awaken her.

Alyona looked peaceful in her slumber. I glanced at her alarm clock on her nightstand. It was 5:00AM. I shook Alyona gently. "Wake up." I whispered loudly.

Alyona stirred sightly, her bright eyes flashed with exhaustion. "Mercy?" She yawned. "Time to get ready." I told her. Alyona was sluggish as she sat upright. "Kay." She croaked.

Alyona got out of bed. I smiled at her kindly. "I'll do your hair after I wake up Emma." Alyona nodded and gave me a grateful smile. With that, I walked out of the bedroom and headed to Emma's room. I opened the bedroom door slowly as I entered the bedroom. Emma and Sheila were soundly asleep in the bedroom. I glared at Sheila with contempt. She's lucky that Emma is in the room.

I made my way to Emma and I shook her gently. "Wake up, Em. Wake up." I whispered loudly. Emma was a light sleeper and woke up the first moment I shook her.

Emma blinked and yawned. When she completely wakes up, she smiled at me lovingly. "Morning, Mercy." She said tiredly.

"Time to get up." I smiled sweetly. I had no worry of Sheila waking up from the commotion as she was a heavy sleeper.

Emma rolled out of bed and proceeded to prepare herself for her first day of school. I assisted Emma by combing her matted hair. I left the room the moment she prepared to change out of her nightgown.

Dutifully, I headed into Alyona's bedroom. Alyona was already presentable, Alyona exited her bedroom to head to the bathroom. She dressed herself into a long sleeved sweater, dark blue jeans, and leather boots. Alyona has done nothing to her unkempt hair so I could brush it for her. "I'll wait in your room for you." I informed her as she headed to the bathroom. I went into her bedroom, grabbed a hairbrush, and diligently waited for Alyona to return.

It's been four days since Sabrina's funeral, Wanda's behavior has been off and on. There are times when she would succumb to mourning grief and other times she is in high spirits. The family was still recovering from the loss. I suffered a great deal of mental and emotional trauma myself. Not out of grief, but out of anxiety. I had many sleepless nights about the investigation into Sabrina's death. No police has arrived at this house, but I dread the day they do. I kept having constant nightmares of the police discovering my secret, taking me away and locking me up in a barren cell for the rest of my wretched life. What's worse is that Constance has been absent. Me and her are not best friends, but I do see her an ally. She is the only person that truly understands me like no one other. I want to tell her my issues,I needed someone listen to all of my worries. But here I am, alone. The house began to stir and Alyona returned to me. I proceeded to promptly brush her hair, I twisted her hair into a cute braid.

Alyona was cute as a button. I smiled at her brightly. "Today is Emma's first day at school." I chirped. Alyona smiled at that. "It'll be great to have someone to sit with us at lunch." She said cheerfully.

Once it was time for breakfast, everyone was up and ready. Emma was dressed formally for her first day of school. She wore a black and white dress with white tights. She wore a black overcoat with a black hairbow in her hair. Cole smiled at her lovingly. "You look beautiful, Emma. Excited for your first day?" Cole complimented brightly.

Hearing life in Cole's voice was reassuring. The once depressed man was now beaming with life due to the new arrival. Sheila sat in front of me, she was glaring at Emma, but doesn't say anything.

Emma flashed a radiant smile. "Yes, sir." She answered politely. Emma sat next to Cody. I was stuck between Morgan and Melanie. My eyes flickered to their bellies. I have no confirmation who is exactly pregnant. I assume Melanie. Melanie's belly was bloated and Morgan showed no signs at all.

Personally I did not care for their possible pregnancies. I only cared about my remaining daughters.

The sweet aroma of pancakes filled the dining room. Wanda exited the kitchen and served everyone breakfast. Fresh, hot pancakes with a cup of orange juice.

Wanda was transfixed at the sight of Emma. "You look so cute, Emma! Are you ready?" She said.

Emma nodded. "Yes, Mrs. Weiss."

Wanda smiled faintly. "Call me Mommy." Wanda insisted. "You are family, Em. You should call me and Cole, Mom and Dad, kay?"

I wanted to roll my eyes at this stupid bitch. Emma was quiet with wide eyes. Cole, being the only person with a brain, tapped on his smiling wife's shoulder. "Wanda, do you really think that's appropriate? I don't think forcing her is a good idea." Cole clearly didn't want to argue. His tone was too gentle.

Wanda was stubborn. "No. No. Emma is under our roof. If a teacher ask her who we are, she should call us her parents." Wanda argued.

Cody chimed in. "She's not family." He said sharply. I had to use all of my will to not glare at this little dipshit.

Cole shot him a stern look. "Eat your food, Cody." He ordered. Cody rolled his eyes defiantly and just picked at his food.

Wanda narrowed her eyes at her son. "Cody, Emma is living with us. Automatically she is family." Wanda insisted. Cody didn't argue back and just ignored his Mother.

Wanda looked at everyone with a curious glint in her eyes. "So how has things been?" She inquired.

Shut the fuck up, Wanda! Damn! Stop being a nosy bitch! I screamed in my head silently.

Sheila shot a bitter look at Emma. She used this moment to spew out her venomous grudge at Emma. "I want my own room." She whined. "I don't want Emma in my bedroom anymore!"

Cole appeared upset. "Sheila! Come on, be nice. I know you two are having issues, but you need to find some common ground. Remember what we said if there's another fight?" Cole patronized.

Sheila was stubborn as a mule. "Emma is mean to me!" She cried. "She's always telling me to clean up my side of the room!"

Wanda was dismissive. "Maybe you should listen to her. Your room is a pigsty. After School, you're going to clean your room."

Sheila shook her head in defiance. "No! You never had an issue with my room before! Why now?" She complained. She then pointed a accusing finger at Emma. "Emma is always complaining about how dirty my side is."

I couldn't help but to roll my eyes at this insolent brat. Emma did not deserve to have Sheila as a roommate. The two girls has opposite personalities. A polite, detail oriented, tidy perfectionist in a room with a argumentative, dirty brat are doomed to butt heads. I thought of Emma's bookshelves of trophies and medals she earned from other previous schools, I am sure Sheila glares at them every morning with begrudging envy.

Wanda was not in the mood. "Sheila, enough. Emma is your sister." She insisted.

Sheila rolled her eyes at Wanda. "No, she is not!" She hissed. She glared at Wanda with contempt. "My MOM only has me. I don't have any other siblings! YOU are not my Mom, Wanda!" Sheila argued. I sighed softly. I desired for peace.

A flash of hurt appeared in Wanda's eyes. Her voice was still stern. "Sheila, enough! Emma is living with us, like it or not."

Sheila slammed her fist on the table to emphasize her frustration. "I don't want her here! I don't want her to go to school with me!" Sheila ranted. Cole opened his mouth to scold his niece, but Melanie spoke first. Her voice was gentle as butter. "Sheila, please. Give Emma a break. Mom is right, she is family." Melanie insisted. She was nearly finished with her meal. "Come on, today is her first day, she doesn't need any drama. Just stop, Sheila."

Sheila rolled her eyes angrily at Melanie. "I'm not talking to you!" She snapped. "Emma is not my sister!" She raised her voice.

"Sheila, stop!" Cole shouted sternly. Sheila did not care. She became defensive. "She said that my Mom is never going to get custody of me!" She shrieked. Wanda and Cole were not having it. "Go to your room! You're eating in your room today!" Wanda pointed a stern finger to the stairs with anger simmering in her eyes.

Sheila gave up and stormed away from the table, without taking her meal. I glanced at Emma, I couldn't see her expression as she was simply eating her meal.

"I'm sorry, Emma. Sheila can be pretty moody sometimes." Cole apologized. "She's really nice, I promise."

Emma responded precisely. "It's okay." Finally the table was peacefully quiet. Once breakfast was over, we all gathered up our bookbags and we huddled into the SUV.

Emma sat next me, she gazed out of the window quietly. I was smiling ear to ear, eager to have my children at school with me.

I was so elated that I grabbed Emma's hand when we all exited the SUV in the school parking lot. "Come on!" I chirped.

"WAIT! PICTURE TIME!" Wanda hollered at the top of her lungs. I stopped in my tracks and I struggled not to frown.

Me and Emma headed back to the SUV, preparing for our picture. All of us, stood in a row, smiling brightly at the camera Wanda aimed at us.

There is a blinding flash and Wanda flashed us a broad smile. "HAVE FUN!" Then me and the little ones all headed into the sea of students.

Much to my delight, Emma was in the same classroom as me and Alyona. Emma was smiling radiantly to the class upon entering the room. Mrs. Hicks sat at her desk when she noticed all of us entering the room.

Mrs. Hicks smiled brightly at Emma as me and Alyona headed to our desks.

"Oh you must be Emma." Mrs. Hicks got up from her chair and extended a friendly hand to Emma. Emma swiftly shook it. "Hi." She said softly. She didn't appear nervous at all. Emma flashed the class a toothy grin. All eyes were glued to the new student. Mrs. Hicks introduced a confident Emma to the class.

"Class, this is Emma Ross. She is our new student. She is Mercy and Alyona's new sister." I cringed when she said Mercy, all eyes glanced at me. A few children began to snicker. They have already outcasted Emma due to her association to me.

A girl with straight dark hair named Ava snickered cruelly at her. "I'm guess you like to pretend it's Halloween too." She teased. Her friend, Marissa chuckled at this. I balled up my fists in anger.

"AVA!" Mrs. Hicks scolded. "Stop it!" Ava shut up. Emma did not seemed fazed by this. She paid no attention to her.

Emma kept smiling when she sat down in her desk. She sat in the middle row. Mrs. Hicks wasn't done with Emma yet. "Emma, please tell some things about yourself." Mrs. Hicks told her. Emma precisely answered. "I'm in foster care. I'm living with the Weiss family." Emma revealed.

I heard someone snicker. Emma kept going. "I really like to participate competitions."

Interest glints in Mrs. Hicks's eyes. "Oh! Really? What kind of competitions?"

"Anything. I won several rewards at my old schools." Emma explained.

Mrs. Hicks smiled. "That's amazing. Do you mind telling the class of what rewards you got and what for?"

Emma was brewing with confidence. She sat up straight in her desk, her body movement was fearless. "I won a Spelling Bee, I was on the Swimming team, I did a few writing contests and I won one art competition." Emma was beaming. "I have one medal that I worked really, really hard for. My Citizenship Award."

Mrs. Hicks gasped dramatically. I nearly laughed out loud upon seeing her exaggerated face. "WOW! THAT IS AMAZING! CLASS, WE HAVE A MODEL STUDENT IN THIS CLASS!" Admiration danced in her eyes. "Emma, could you bring the Award, please? I am positive that everyone would love to see it!" Mrs. Hicks asked.

Emma nodded. "Yes, Mrs. Hicks." I heard children whispering. Some whispers were envious, others were impressed. I smiled that Emma was making friends.

I barely listened to Mrs. Hicks when class began. During the day, the snowfall became heavy, cancelling recess. So many of the unhappy students had to go straight back to class after lunchtime. Me and the girls traveled to the lunchroom as the ear piercing bell rang through the hallway. At lunchtime, I sat with my two daughters. The food was terrible and tasteless, I pointed it in disgust. I scanned the lunchroom for Constance, but once again she was absent from school.

For once I was smiling out of pure joy. I was proud of my little overachiever. "You did good today." I chirped to Emma.

Alyona was happily smiling. "Yeah, I did not know you had that many awards!" Alyona exclaimed.

Emma smiled. "Yep, I knew that would win everyone over."

Alyona beamed, she really enjoyed Emma's presence. "How did you get a Citizenship Award?" Alyona inquired.

Emma opened her mouth to answer, but then her eyes glinted. "Uh oh.." Emma gulped. My eyes searched for what was upsetting her and I discovered it. I scowled at the sight of Sheila heading towards our table with a two other girls behind her. Sheila pointed a finger at Emma, chattering to her friends who were chuckling at something she said. I wanted to scream at Sheila to go away, but I didn't want to draw attention to myself. Sheila came to our table with a smirk. Her two friends followed her like minions.

One girl was fair haired and tall and the other girl was dark haired and chubby.

"This is her?" The fair haired girl pointed a rude finger at Emma. Sheila eagerly nodded. "Yeah, the bitch." Sheila snarled, her eyes locked on Emma's.

Alyona's eyes grew wide. She didn't know how to handle this. "Um...hi, Sheila...um...why are you here?" She asked passively.

Sheila ignored Alyona completely. Sheila glared coldly at Emma. "So what's up with you, neatfreak?" Sheila mocked.

Emma chose to dismiss her, she ate her meal, pretending that Sheila didn't exist.

Sheila did not like being ignored. "Emma! I am talking to you!" She raised her voice. Some eyes looked at us. Cruel whispering and malicious snickering echoed through the room as more and more eyes looked at us. Sheila was laughing like a witch.

Alyona was blushing profusely out of embarrassment. "Sheila, please. Stop!" She begged.

Sheila still ignored Alyona's pleas. She kept taunting Emma. "So how was your first day in class, neatfreak?" She mocked. "Did you tell them you're a foster kid?"

Emma then looked at Sheila. Her eyes were stone cold, her stare was unmoving. Sheila grew angry as Emma stared at her in silence. The laughter and whispering began to die down.

"Sheila Weiss!" A teacher rushed over to Sheila. Sheila went pale with anxiety. The teacher hurried over to her, she was a round woman with sharp eyes.

"Sheila, that's enough. If you keep this, you will go to the Principal!" She warned. Sheila immediately lost all of her boldness and shrank. She hung her head down. "Fine." She mumbled in dismay. Then Sheila and her stupid friends removed themselves from our table. Even though anger was simmering inside of me, I didn't want my day to be tarnished by Sheila.

Once lunchtime was over, the day went on the usual insults, taunts, and cruel laughter aimed at me. Once school ended, I decided that I did not want to go to the front of the school. I was fed up with the little brats bullying me every passing second. Emma and Alyona stuck to me like glue and followed me as I trotted to the gym. Once we were in the gym, the school became silent. Almost lifeless as the children left the school.

Then I was blindsided by a basketball that hit me on my left cheek. The impact was powerful and made me lose my balance. I fell straight on my ass.

"MERCY!" Alyona shrieked. Within seconds, the girl helped me to my feet. I heard cruel laughter emerging in the gym. I have no time to find the source of the laughter when I'm hit with another basketball square in the face. I released out a startled shriek, the ball bumped off my face and hit Alyona square in the nose. Alyona released me, screaming in pain, this caused me to fall to the floor in a pathetic heap. Alyona staggered back with small tears in her eyes.

I watched Alyona glare at someone in the distance. I picked myself up to see Sheila and her friends giggling at us. Sheila had a basketball in her hands with a naughty smirk.

"Be careful, Klutz!" Sheila taunted. Her friends laughed in response.

I lost my temper. "FUCK YOU!" I screeched. I would have charged at Sheila, if Alyona did not restrain me by grabbing my wrist. "No. Stop, Mercy. Just calm down." Alyona reasoned. I didn't struggle against her and began to take in rushed breaths to calm myself down.

Sheila did not take me seriously. She chortled at me. "What's wrong, Mercy? Sad your stupid dress got dirty?" She mocked. I glared at Sheila. I couldn't believe I loved this child once. On a personal level, I no longer cared for her.

I pretended she didn't exist and I headed for the doors that led to the outside. Emma and Alyona followed me like shadows. Then I heard Emma release out a sharp cry, I spun around just in time to see Emma being hit with the basketball in the right shoulder.

I lost my temper again, Alyona sensed this and held my wrists tighter. "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?" I yelled furiously.

Emma shot a cold look at Sheila, she stopped in her tracks stiffly. Sheila visibly wanting confrontation skipped over to Emma with a big grin. Her friends shouted and cheered, egging on their friend. "Go, Sheila!" The fair haired girl shouted.

"Yeah, beat her ass!" The chubby girl encouraged. Sheila's movement became brisk and quick when the friends started to egg her on. She made her way to Emma. I was struggling against Alyona, I wanted to pounce on her like a savage animal. "Let me go! Let me go!" I demanded.

Alyona narrowed her eyes at me, her arms are wrapped around my waist, her feet are planted to the floor. "No! Calm down, Mercy!" Alyona rebuked me. I kept struggling, but Alyona was adamant on preventing me from jumping in. I was forced to watch Sheila approach Emma.

Sheila was cocky, her fists were balled in eagerness. "What's wrong, Foster kid?" She teased. Sheila got close enough to Emma that she could kiss her. Sheila mocked her with great pride. "You think you are so great! With your fancy clothes and stupid awards, you're not special at all. You're just a bitch! Wanda and Uncle Cole do not care about you. No one does!" Sheila grinned cruelly. "I bet you really like that Citizenship Award. Hate for anything to happen to it." Sheila mused spitefully.

Emma glared at her, her face was callous, her eyes were stone cold. I began to tussle with Alyona as she restrained me.

Despite all of the madness, Alyona continued to have a level head. "Stop it! Enough!" She shouted at the top of her lungs. No one listened to her. Sheila raised her voice. She was belligerent and hostile. "Come on! Let's go!" Sheila challenged.

Emma gave Sheila a unnerving gaze. She did not seem to want to fight. "Go on." Emma said stiffly.

Sheila was shocked, her eyes widened. "What?" She gasped. She clearly expected a fight out of Emma.

"Hit me. Just do it." Emma spoke in a soft voice. Sheila appeared hesitant. She turned her head to her friends for support. They provided nothing and Sheila clenched her teeth as she looked back at Emma. I stopped struggling and watched on.

Wickedness danced in Emma's green eyes. "Do you really think this will bring your Mom back? Do you really think this will bring Sabrina back? Because it won't." Emma provoked. "Your Mom is rotting in prison. And one day, you'll be the exact same. Even if you beat me up, your Mom will still be prison and you'll be sent off to Juvie." Emma inched closer to Sheila. Sheila was stiff as a statue. She was speechless by Emma's cruel words.

"So hit me." Emma dared.

Sheila just stood there like a bag of doorknobs. She stared at Emma in shock. Emma' lips curled into a malicious smirk.

"What's wrong? Don't you want to beat me?" Emma taunted. Thick sarcasm filled her voice. "What about my stupid medals and me being a neatfreak? Isn't that why you wanted to beat me up?" Emma raised an eyebrow. "This is all about jealousy. This is about Sabrina. I hear you praying about her when it's bedtime. You are always turning and tossing in your sleep, crying like a baby." Emma poked a malicious finger into Sheila's chest. Sheila staggered back and Emma still made sure she was very close to her. Emma continued. "You're just jealous of me. I do have dozens of trophies and medals. It's called being a winner. It's called being an achiever." Emma narrowed her eyes full of disgust. "You do nothing but scream and cry like a baby. If you think fighting me is a good idea, you better be ready to be mistaken." Emma snarled.

Anger recoiled in Sheila's eyes, she took a step back from Emma. "Fuck you! Do not talk about my Mom! Do not talk about Sabrina!" Sheila shrieked. "Just shut up!"

Emma's words grew callous. "Why can't I talk about Sabrina? She's dead. She won't even know I'm talking about her."

Sheila appeared appalled. "You are sick!" Sheila's boldness returned. "Don't you ever talk about Sabrina! Never!"

Emma was not fazed. She was still smiling wickedly. She seemed to be taking an enjoyment of Sheila's distress. "One day, Wanda and Cole are going to put you into a new home. A group home or to another relative willing to put up with your behavior."

Sheila's face grew red. "Shut up! You are crazy, you freak!" Emma's tone becomes menacing. "What's the matter, Sheila? Let's fight. Now." Sheila took a long step back. By now, Alyona has released me and was watching this in baffled silence along with me.

Emma's eyes studied Sheila's movement. The girl was very observant. She knew Sheila did not truly wish to fight her at this moment.

But Sheila, despite her cowardiness, was not an individual that liked to appear weak. She didn't have the courage to fight Emma anymore, so she resorted to using her words.

"You...you better hope nothing happens to that stupid Citizenship Award!" Sheila threatened in a high pitched voice.

Emma became silent, all she did was give Sheila a death glare. Cold, unnerving, and menacing. I looked on speechless, time seemed to have slow down at this moment. I expected a janitor to come at any moment. Sheila was seemingly trapped in Emma's intense glare, she didn't want to look weak, so she glared back. The gym was eerily silent.

After fifteen seconds, Emma broke off her stare, turned her body to me and Alyona, and walked over to us without giving Sheila a glance. I was both stunned and happy at the same time. I was stunned by Emma's personality change, but I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy Sheila being put in her place.

I wanted to go home. I wanted to sleep this day off. I gingerly grabbed Emma's cold hand. Emma stared blankly ahead. Alyona opened the doors for us and we all walked out of the school. I put a warm hand on Emma's shoulder. "Don't worry about Sheila." I reassured her.

"I'm not." Emma said solemnly.

We took the long way to the front parking lot of the school. Wanda was still awaiting for us. When we all huddled into the SUV, Wanda was visibly concerned. "What happened to you guys? I was worried sick about you guys!" Wanda demanded furiously. I ignored Wanda, I did not give a rat's ass about Wanda. I just wanted to go home to relax and sleep the day away.

I tuned Wanda out as millions of thoughts flooded my psyche.

 _ **In the next chapter, Mercy makes a fateful decision.**_


	32. Hot Chocolate

"Mercy! Want some hot chocolate?" Emma asked me with a bright smile. It was a late afternoon on Sunday, the skies flooded with gray clouds. I whirled around to see Emma standing next to the dining table. There were five cups of hot chocolate. The aroma of the sugary beverage hit my nostrils.

"Sure," I said softly. Emma flashed me a smile and handed me a cup. I felt my heart warm when I took a sip of the savory beverage. "This is delicious!" I complimented.

Emma grinned proudly. A spark of energy glint in her eyes. "Where's Melanie?" Emma inquired.

I glanced upstairs. "In her bedroom," I answered. The house has been silent. Almost everyone was secluded in their bedrooms.

I looked curiously at the cups. "Why did you make so much?" I asked.

Emma took a sip of a cup of hot chocolate. "I want to cheer everyone up." She answered precisely. She gestured to the cups. "So I made hot chocolate for everyone."

I smiled charmed at this sweet child's kindness.

I took another sip of the delicious beverage. The house was peacefully quiet, contrasting all of the madness within these walls.

The rest of the family was secluded in their respective bedrooms. I heard soft meowing emerging from the living room.

Then I heard a door open from upstairs, Melanie shuffled out of her bedroom with a blank face. All energy in her being has been drained from stress. She hobbled downstairs with a long face.

I almost felt pity for the child.

Emma beamed at the sight of her. "Melanie!" She called out. Emma swiftly picked up one cup and scurried over to her. "Want some chocolate?"

Melanie managed to crack a faint smile. "No." Her voice crackled.

Emma was persistent. "Please, hot chocolate always cheers me up." Emma held out the steamy cup to Melanie. Melanie bit her lower lip as she absorbed Emma's words.

She pondered to herself for a short moment, then she grabbed the cup. "Thank you, Emma. This is very nice." She praised.

With that, Melanie sat at the dining table to drink her beverage. Emma was bouncing up and down out of joy. She sat down at the table with him with a jovial smile. I sat down next to Emma as I took a long sip of the drink. I just cherished the pure sweetness of chocolate. I missed it so much from my years of being locked away.

Melanie bit her lower lip out of anxiety. "I don't know." She admitted. Emma ceased her question and grabbed another cup. "Is Sheila in the room?" She asked aloud.

Melanie finished her beverage. "Yes. But do not talk to her. She is still really mad from yesterday." Melanie warned.

Emma appeared disheartened. "I'm just going to give her some hot chocolate. She was really mad yesterday and she's not talking to me."

Melanie placed a kind hand on Emma's shoulder. She gave Emma a compassionate look. "Well, your idea is very sweet. Do it." Melanie encouraged.

Emma's dampen mood instantly disappeared. A broad smile was smeared onto her oval shaped face. She hopped out of the chair with the cup in her grip.

"I'll come with you," I announced. The last thing I wanted was for Emma to be alone with that little brat. Emma nodded excitedly at this and me and she scurried upstairs. When we approached the bedroom door of the room the girls shared, Emma attempted to turn the knob. It was locked.

Promptly I knocked on the door, I made sure my voice was kind and soft. "Sheila, open the door," I ordered.

Sheila responded by jerking the door open. She glared coldly at us. Her eyes were pools of disdain for me and Emma. Sheila clenched her teeth in frustration. "What do you want?" she snarled.

Emma cleared her throat. "Sheila, I'm sorry. I'm sorry about making you mad last night. I didn't mean to. I really want to be friends with you, Sheila. I always wanted a sister. I'm sorry about making fun of you and saying all of those things." Sheer guilt was framed on her face. Every word she uttered sounded genuine and wholehearted.

Sheila was not fazed. She rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Shut up, Emma. You're not sorry for anything!" Sheila hissed.

Hurt flashed in Emma's eyes. "I am. I am sorry. That's why I made you hot chocolate." With that, Emma held out the hot chocolate to Sheila. I smiled at my child as sincere tears dripped out of her quivering eyes.

"I want to be sisters with you! I want us to be friends." Emma pleaded.

Sheila stood in the doorway motionless. She stared at Emma with a blank expression. Emma sniffled and wiped a tear away.

I decided to pitch in. "Sheila," I seized her attention. "Emma is very sorry. Please, give her a chance." I coaxed.

Sheila rolled her eyes at me. "No one was talking to you, Mercy." She mumbled dismissively. I balled up my fists. This little cunt needs to learn a lesson. Oh how I wish I could beat this child and clot up her airways with the chocolate liquid.

I kept myself composed. I allowed her little snap roll down my shoulders.

Sheila turned back to Emma and appeared thoughtful. Rudely, she snatched the cup out of Emma's hand. "Fine, you weirdo." She insulted. The insult did nothing to damage Emma's high spirits.

"I hope we can be BFFs!" Emma exclaimed.

Sheila rolled her eyes in disgust. "Weirdo!" She hissed. With that, Sheila inched back into her bedroom and closed the door in Emma's face.

"Stupid bitch." I said in my head. I grabbed Emma's hand and I smiled proudly at her. "Good job." I praised. Emma smiled brightly in return.

When night came, the house was utterly silent. I got into bed. My mind was racing. When Emma and Alyona are out of my reach, all of my worries and fears escape my soul. I worried about Sabrina's ongoing investigation. I worried about my future. I thought of Constance and I wonder what has become of her.

With all of those forceful thoughts flooding my mind, I tried my hardest to find the energy to go to sleep. I kept tossing and turning with anxiety.

It was several hours later when I found the energy to fell asleep. I dreamt of nothing. I found myself floating through an endless void.

I turned and tossed in my sleep and I wake myself up. I groaned in dismay at this.

Then I heard soft grunts in the hallway. I heard a soft sound of something being shuffled on the floor.

Curiously I got out of bed to investigate. When I opened my bedroom door a crack, I am met with a shocking sight. Emma's back was to me, in front of her on the floor was an unconscious Sheila. She was hunched over, tugging on her foot.

My mouth dropped wide open. "Emma?" I gasped. Emma jerked, dropping Sheila's foot and whirling around to me. Her eyes were wide with alarm.

"Mercy!" She whispered in shock.

I was frozen in shock at this sight. "What? What are you doing?" I asked.

Emma didn't answer, she was completely silent.

I stared at Emma for a long time. My mind was racing with millions of thoughts. Then I realized what is happening.

Emma drugged Sheila. Yes. Yes. Emma was very insistent with giving Sheila her drink.

My mind began to spin violently. I was swimming in disbelief. Emma couldn't have done this? Could she?

I took a bitter gulp as I forced myself to face the truth.

She did.

I looked at Sheila. I knew I had to remove her life to save Emma's. I can't afford to lose another child!

"I'll help you!" I whispered urgently. "I need to get dressed." With that, I hastily spilled into my room and slipped into a random uniform dress and leggings. Emma's eyes grew wide with shock. I scurried over to Sheila and I grabbed her shoulders. Sheila was limp and cold. She almost seemed dead. I checked her neck for a pulse and I felt active beatings.

"Come on!" I urged.

Emma snapped back into reality and helped me. Together, I and Emma hobbled down the stairs with Sheila's motionless body. Thankfully the girl was not heavy. Me and Emma made our way to the backdoor.

Then I got an idea. "Hold on," I whispered. With that, I gently put Sheila down and I scurried into the kitchen. I opened the kitchen draws and grabbed the sharpest knife I could find. I smiled evilly at it. I didn't expect myself in my situation at all, but I didn't mind removing this little bitch from existence. I was only wearing a nightgown, so I managed to find a pair of boots that I left in the living room. I grabbed my coat and Emma's coat from the coat racket.

Emma began to smile when she accepted my willingness in this situation. She put on her coat and shoved her feet into a pair of boots. I placed the knife into my boot

"Are you ready?" Emma inquired.

I nodded and I headed over to her. Promptly, Emma slowly opened the backdoor. Once the door is completely open, me and Emma carried Sheila out of the house.

I knew exactly what to do. There was a bridge four miles away. The landscape was very spacious, full of lakes and forests. It was a short bridge above a river.

"Follow me," I told Emma. Emma nodded without a word. With that, we carried the girl, our boots crunching in the snow.

Even in my coat, I was shivering uncontrollably from the freezing climate. Adrenaline burst through my veins as I forced myself to go faster.

"There!" Emma said breathlessly when we approached the stone bridge. I could see the frozen river below. The ice was thinning and had exposing cracks and holes of the freezing water. Emma was trembling violently from the cold.

Sheila began to stir slightly. Her eyes weakly opened. She was still sedated from whatever drug Emma gave her.

"Come on!" Emma urged. With that, we carried the girl straight to the bridge. I used all of my strength to put her on her weak feet. Emma assisted me, pulling Sheila upward. We inched her to the edge of the bridge as the winter gust blew against us violently.

Emma broke out into a wide smile, her eyes dancing with delight. She swiftly began to push Sheila off of the bridge.

I used all of my strength to lean her over the edge. Emma swiftly bend down and grabbed her legs. "One...two...three.." Emma took in a deep breath and sweeped Sheila's legs. I gave Sheila a hard shove once her legs were in the air. Sheila plummeted down to the icy waters, still sedated and silent. Sheila fell firstface onto the ice with a sickening thud. The ice underneath her began to crack.

Emma smiled brightly. But I know this is not over. There is no blood or sign of death. I pulled out of my knife, ready to finish off Sheila. I wasted no time, my heart pulsing in my chest, I slided down to the river.

Emma kept close to me like whiteness on snow. When my feet touched the ice, Emma roughly grabbed my arm, seizing my attention. "No. Don't stab her." Emma protested.

I looked at Emma baffled. I yanked my arm away. "We have to kill her, Emma." I said urgently. "You will be locked away if we don't."

Emma's face remained composed. She shook her head. "No. No. Stabbing her would be too messy. We need to drown her," Emma pointed to a small exposed hole in the ice.

"Come on." Emma urged as she made her way to Sheila. I quickly concealed my knife and I hurried over to Sheila's body. She was still alive, her body trembling and twitching. Emma and I grabbed her hands and pulled her to the exposed hole. Once we pulled her completely to it, I made sure to have her head hover over the water.

Emma flashed a wicked smile. She slammed her hand over Sheila's head, dunking her into the water.

Somehow this action gave her energy to move. Life regained her in her legs, making her kick violently.

I threw myself onto her legs to cease their movements. Emma used all of her strength to keep thrusting Sheila under the water. Rapid bubbles erupted, Sheila squirmed as violently as she could in her limp state.

"This is for my award." Emma's voice was callous.

Then the bubbles ceased along with Sheila's life.

Me and Emma wasted no time, once she died, Emma and I pushed Sheila into the hole, allowing the water to devour another victim. I felt a mixture of numbness and pride. I was not the one to take Sheila's life, just like Sabrina, I helped take it. I was proud that I rid the world of this little bitch. Now I could spend time with my daughters in peace. But Emma herself was making me feel numb.

The forest was silent. So silent, all we could hear was our rapid breathing.

"She's dead." Emma finally uttered. She looked at me with a broad smile. "Finally she's gone."

Everything felt so surreal. I knew at this point Emma was a high functioning psychopath or sociopath.

I didn't care for Sheila. Honestly, I was happy she was dead. But now I had to worry about Emma. Wanda and Cole will find out that Sheila is missing. I had to figure out what to do about this.

I grabbed Emma's frigid hand and we retreated to the house. I went to the nearest bathroom and proceeded to take a well-needed shower. My shower was steamy hot, thawing the coldness off of my frosty skin. Once I am cleansed, I painted my face with youthful makeup and dressed into my white nightgown. When I exited the bathroom, I caught Emma heading to her bedroom with a small bowl of vanilla ice cream.

Emma looked up at me and smiled. I wanted answers for Emma's actions. I just wished she told me beforehand so I could be prepared.

"Why?" I whispered as softly as I could.

Emma was silent for a moment, her eyes were stone cold. "I had to." Her voice lacked emotion.

"She took my award away. I told her to give me back my award. I told her if she didn't I would hurt her. She didn't blame me. Sheila just told me to shut up." Emma gave me a callous expression. "So she left me no choice. No one was going to do anything about her." Emma narrowed her eyes. "So I drugged her. I mixed up some sleeping pills and whatever other pills I found and put them in the drink."

I just stared at Emma. I know I look stupid at this moment, but I never expected Emma to be like this. I was honestly impressed.

"I wanted to test the doses first, so I gave some hot chocolate to Melanie. I just gave her a small amount of the two." Emma admitted.

My eyes widened. I haven't heard a peep out of Melanie. She was isolated in her bedroom.

Emma kept going. "I thought the drink would just kill Sheila in her sleep. But it was taking too long. So...I wanted to go to kill her another way."

Emma then gave me a curious look. "Why did you help me?" She asked.

My lips curled up. "Because I love you," I said honestly.

Emma smiled faintly. "Thanks for not ratting me out." She said.

"You're welcome."

Emma was silent for a moment. "I think the best story to tell for Sheila is that she ran away. She was angry and she ran away." Emma suggested.

I nodded acceptably. I released out a yawn. Tonight was utterly exhausting, to say the least. "I'm going to sleep," I informed Emma.

"Can I sleep with you?" Emma asked me with pitiful eyes. "Her side of the room is just filthy." Disgust flooded her voice.

I nodded and smiled. "Yes."

With that, me and Emma hurried to my bedroom. Me and her crawled into my bed, Emma showcased her wholehearted trust in my completely, by wrapping her arms around me. Despite all of the terror and wickedness I have endured tonight, I still cherished the peace.

I had no remorse for any of the murders I committed. I was just glad it was over for now. I dreaded morning when Wanda and Cole will wake up to a missing child.

Then suddenly Constance popped into my mind. I desperately wanted to speak to Constance. I had to speak to Constance. She was the only person I could reveal my secrets too.

"Stop thinking like this. Just go to bed!" I scolded myself in my head. This time I listened to myself and I allowed myself to go to sleep.

 _ **Next chapter will come. Mercy discusses her deeds with Constance at school. (I changed the storyline. Taking out the pregnancy subplot completely. Working on Mercy updates after getting done writing chapters for Aishi story.)**_


	33. The Return

**I have revised the story and I have kept Morgan alive. Morgan is alive and Sheila is dead.**

I barely slept a wink last night. My mind raced with paranoia. There I was, lying idly in bed. My little Emma's arms wrapped around my chest. The little girl was soundly asleep, completely unbothered by the sins we committed.

So much madness occurred last night. I recollected the last moment of Sheila's death. Brutal, cruel, and cold. She were helpless against me and Emma.

But now, here we are. Both waiting for the aftermath of our crimes. One significant person is missing, vanished without a trace. I imagined the terror and panic of the dwindling family. I dreaded another investigation and eventually, eyes will be on me.

I thought of all of my victims. I remembered their last moments in this cruel world. I remembered how much I relished in their pitiful suffering, how powerful I would feel. But afterward, reality kicks in and now I have to focus on getting away with it.  
With so many people dropping like flies, someone will get suspicious.

But I am resolved to protect Emma. I am resolved to protect myself and my freedom. I will not let anyone impede on my goal. My purpose here is to be Cole's wife and to be a dutiful Mother to my children. And goddammit, I will succeed.

I rolled over slowly to look at Emma. She was still deep in slumber, her face appeared angelic and innocent. Her appearance and mannerisms don't suggest any psychopathic tendencies. But I have wholeheartedly accepted that Emma is abnormal.

Alyona is the only person among the two of us that is truly innocent. Alyona was my beautiful little angel. I desired the best for her. I can hope Emma's behavior will not rub off on her.

I planted a soft kiss on Emma's forehead. I loved this child. I loved her. Just like I loved Hope.

I slowly crawled out of bed and I hobbled into the hallway to do my "Mercy" routine. I dressed myself in a snowy white dress with my hair pinned into pigtails. When I returned back to my bedroom, Emma was still slumbering. The house was completely quiet for the longest time.

Then reality kicked in when Wanda's hysterical voice was heard throughout the corridors. I could hear Wanda pacing frantically through the hallway, her voice cracking and shrill.

"Yes! Please! Come quick. I….I….need everyone….my husband's niece is missing. My teen daughter is…..sick! She's…..not moving and I need help! My husband's niece is gone! She's just gone! I can't find her!" Wanda broke down into broken tears.

Emma began to stir. Her emerald eyes flashed brightly.

She listened attentively to Wanda's hysteria. Her face was blank. She frowned in unhappiness.

The house immediately began to awaken. Cody and Morgan emerged out of their bedrooms. "Mom, Dad, what's wrong?" Cody demanded.

"Mom! What's wrong?" Morgan asked in a shaky voice.

Wanda choked out a sob. "Everything!" She wept.

Emma was completely unfazed by all of this. When she emerged out of the bed, Emma briskly hopped out of bed. Emma briskly waltzed out of my bedroom to get prepared for today.

Realistically, no one was going to school.

Instead, the house remained bleak. Melanie, pale as snow, limp, and bedridden. She is struggling to cling to life.

Sheila is rotting at the bottom of the frozen river. This once happy family has suffered so much from Alanna's hands. The true extent of my power is endless.

When the officers arrived, my heart drummed in my chest. I felt like I was on the verge of fainting from simply seeing their presence. Unlike Sabrina, Sheila's body hasn't surfaced from the river. By now from the harsh winter, the river over freeze once more.

I watched in silence as Melanie is strapped to a stretcher, being taken away to the ER. Morgan cried her heart out and isolated herself in her bedroom.

Cole joined his ill daughter awhile Wanda continued to be hysterical. She reported Sheila missing.

Wanda's incessant weeping echoed throughout the house. I retreated to my bedroom to collect my thoughts. My mind is just a hurricane of anger, frustration, and paranoia. I felt so helpless as if the world was crushing me with it's mighty weight.

Emma went to her bedroom, happy as can be. I could hear Alyona's sorrowful weeping emanating from her bedroom.

I secluded myself to my bedroom to dwell within my pondering thoughts.

On Tuesday, me and the remaining children went to school. The house was silent as can be. Wanda isolated herself inside of her bedroom, forcing Cole to cook breakfast and drive everyone to school. Melanie was still in the hospital, still suffering the poisoning. Her overall conditions or the baby's well being was unknown for the time being.

"Have a fun day," Cole said, his voice strained. He parked the car in the lively parking lot. Students giggling and squealing as they flooded inside of the school. Cole turned his head to look at me and the children in the backseat. He managed to crack out a weak smile.

In an effort to lift his spirits, I smiled brightly at him.

When me and the girls exited the car, I held Alyona and Emma's hands, taking them to the school. I was like a Mother Duck guiding her little ducklings.

The hallways of the school contrasted the bleakness within the Weiss household. Alyona's face was fresh as a tear. She was silent as a mouse.

My heart broke at the sight of my daughter. I hated myself for forcing her through this suffering.

I searched desperately for Constance. But to no avail, the damn woman seemingly disappeared off the face of the Earth. For the entire day, I endured the cruel torment from my peers. Nonetheless, the day was uneventful. When the day ended, Cole picked up me and the girls and drove us home. I didn't expect anything to happen today. Wanda remained isolated in her room, Cody hurried to a friend's house, Alyona kept to herself, and a carefree Emma went to her room to study for a test.

"Mercy, Constance called me and she wants to talk to you." Cole informed me when I entered the kitchen for a snack. I felt like a pile of bricks fell on top of my head. A wave of relief hit me. Wordlessly, Cole pulled out his cell phone and handed it to me.

When I held the phone up to my ear, I felt my worries lift when I heard Constance's voice.

"Mercy, I have to tell you something!" She said bluntly.

"Where have you been? So much crazy shit has happened! Where have you been?" I demanded in my Russian tongue. I paced away from Cole and made my way to my bedroom for privacy.

"That's what I need to tell you." Constance said, her voice seeping with slight annoyance.

"I'm at Arthur and Lilly's lake house." She admitted.

I arched my eyebrows in confusion. "Why?"

The line goes silent for a moment. When Constance speaks, her voice lacked emotions. "I rigged the house to explode. The Warner family is dead."

My mouth dropped out of utmost shock. I spilled inside of my bedroom. Hastily, I closed the door behind me and locked it. My heart pounded in my chest.

"What happened?" I inquired. "Does anyone know anything?"

Constance is completely composed. "No. No one knows anything," Constance reassured.

"What happened?" I insisted.

Constance's voice grew cold. "Arthur rejected me." Her tone simmered. "That bastard rejected me! He had the audacity to threaten to send me back to the fucking orphanage! That son of a bitch had the nerves to slap me across the face! I stabbed him! I stabbed him until he looked like swiss cheese! I had to hide his disgusting corpse and I rigged the house to explode before I left last night."

I felt my mind spinning. "How did you get to the lake house?" I probed.

"The Granny took me. She was visiting the family and the family was planning to take everyone to the lake house for a small vacation. I killed the family by then. Stabbed Lilly and Arthur, stabbed that little bastard, and I rigged the house to blow up with propane gas," Constance grew quiet. "Well, I'm not entirely sure if I killed them. Lilly and that little brat were still twitching."

"Clementine?" I blurted out.

Constance grew silent. I did not care for the Warner family at all. But Clementine seemed like the perfect goldfish for me. Perhaps she could fulfill the position of Sheila.

"She's alive. I spared her. She was fast asleep and deaf, so she couldn't witness or hear anything." Constance revealed. "I managed to grab her hearing aids and all of my items before I left."

"Has the house exploded yet?" I asked.

Constance grew silent for a long time. I heard her walking on wooden floor. A few seconds later, the blaring sounds of the TV echoed out of the phone. Constance swiftly lowered the volume before I could hear anything critical. She made the TV silent and she spoke. "Yep. Look it up on your phone. It's on the news now."

Intrigued, I removed the phone from my ear and I looked up the news on Cole's phone. Constance was correct. On the several new outlets reported that a family house blew up in the current afternoon. On the news site, there was a short clip of the Warner house swallowed by the flames of hell, windows blown out, the structure of the house renders to rubble. Blaring lights of firefighters flashed, the helicopter soared over the blazing house, filming hell consuming the home. I stared at the clip in utmost surprise. I am reminded of my murders of the Sullivans.

My mind raced a mile a minute. "What are you going to do?"

Constance sounded unsure, but calm. "I'm not sure. I have to deal with this old bag of bones first."

I had to think fast. Constance had all of my secrets in her palms, eventually the police will come to her and probe her for questions. Constance, in her own respect, seemed to be a calculating and wicked woman. She seemed to retain self control, evident to her being completely collected during Sabrina's death.

But I didn't want to take chances. If one word of my facade is revealed, I will be stripped of my freedom.

"Come to my house!" I declared urgently. I elucidated my suggestion. "You could live with me. You and Clem. Give me the address! Now!"

Swiftly, Constance obeyed. "Hold on, let me write down." I said. With that, I hastily scavenged my bedroom for a piece of paper and a pen. I was out of luck on finding a pen, but I did find paper and pencils from my backpack.

"Now."

Diligently, I wrote down Constance's location as she spoke to me.

Constance seemed relieved. "I need to take care of the grandma first."

Then she shifted the subject. "What happened to you?" Constance inquired.

I felt a tidal wave of relief when I swiftly expelled out all of acts. My words spilled out of my mouth like a broken faucet. "Sheila is dead Melanie and Morgan both got knocked up by Brandon! Morgan lost the kid...and...th. You met her before. Sheila was a cunt to her. So she drugged her and me and her had to kill her. Now Wanda and Cole will get suspicious and everything is just going to shit!" I'm on the verge of tears.

"Oh, yes, Alanna. Your world is in the gutter. Looks like I won the lottery." Her thick accent drowned in sarcasm.

Then I heard the croaky voice of an old lady emerging in the distance. "Gram!" Constance's innocent voice blared through the phone. Then she hung up.

I wasted no time, my mind instantly turned into a whirlwind. I felt like my entire life was hanging on a thin thread.

I exited out of my bedroom, I shouted at the top of my lungs. "Daddy, Constance wants me to come her family's lake house!"

"What? Why?" He shouted from the kitchen.

"She said that her and her Grandmother are having a party!" I said childishly.

Cole became interested. "Oh! How far is the lake house?"

I pulled out the paper and shouted out the address to him.

"Not that far. Just six miles away." He murmured.

I smiled when Cole accepted my request. "Sure, Sweet Pea."

My love for this man grew more and more. I hurried downstairs to him. He seemed eager to remove himself from this disheartened home.

Cole and I were accompanied by Alyona and Emma, leaving Wanda to dwell inside of this house.

The drive to the lake house was long, especially with traffic and the sudden harsh rainfall. It took a full hour to get to the location. The lake house was a stunning sight to see. A golden brown house with three stories. It was crafted with wood and has spotless, massive windows, with a breathtaking view of a large lake.

When we trotted up the forested area and to the lake house. Upon getting to the glass front door, I was met with the sight of Constance sprinting to the front door with tears flowing down her cheeks. "HELP! HELP!" She screeched. Constance jerked the door open, putting on a convincing facade of a terrified child.

"Gram fell! She fell down the stairs!" She cried out. Cole grew rigid with alarm, the compassionate man entered the house, eager to assist. "Where is she? Did you call 911?"

Constance pretended to hyperventilate, rendering her speechless. I caught a glimpse of a concerned Alyona, she appeared pale. We all entered the lake house, I gazed around at the tastefully designed house. The house had two sets of staircases, one led to the second floor and the other one led to the third floor. Constance, still hysterical, escorted Cole to third floor staircase. I grew completely intrigued. I whirled around to Emma and Alyona. Emma remained composed and unfazed by all of this. I didn't want the children to be exposed to anything. I had no fear that Emma would kill Alyona, they seemed to have a good relationship with each other. "Stay here!" I demanded. With that, I followed Cole and Constance to the third floor. I stood on the top step. There I saw an old lady at the bottom of the stairs, her neck was twisted in an unnatural angle. She was a round woman with snow white hair and wrinkly skin.

"She fell! She fell! I can't feel a heartbeat! She's not moving!" Constance wailed. Cole examined the deceased woman, desperately trying to find a hint of life. "Call 911! Call 911!" Cole ordered urgently.

Cole pulled out his cell phone and tossed it to a shaking Constance.

Constance obeyed, frantically dialing the number. When she entered the number, Constance put the phone to her ear and immediately recapped the death.

"Yes! I have! She's not breathing. She's not moving! Please come quick!" She pleaded.

Cole then noticed me. Panic flashed in his eyes. "Mercy, go upstairs! You don't need to see this!" He declared. The intensity in his voice made me swoon.

Urgently, he pointed to the stairs and I obeyed.

Upon coming upstairs, I thought of Clementine. Constance spared her from the massacre. There was no way anyone lived through that explosion. The child was an orphan. In my mind, I have already adopted her in my mind. I saw her as a possible replacement for Sheila. "Mercy!" Emma called out to me from the upstairs of the second floor. "Wanna play doll house?" Emma asked childishly. "Clem really wants to play with us." She added, beckoning me to come.

I scurried upstairs to Emma. When I entered the bedroom, I saw Clementine happily playing with a somber Alyona.

The two girls played with dolls and her many plushed animals.

I smiled at the sight of this cute scene. Clementine, bountiful of energy, grabbed a pillow and smacked Alyona across the face.

Alyona staggered back out of shock, but is not upset. Clementine found this hilarious, her mute tongue prevents her from uttering out words, but she could vocalize her emotions very well. She released out a charming giggle of joy.

I desired to play with the children, but something is keeping from me doing so. There were too much horrors on my mind for merriment. So I stood there, idly at the doorway. Emma skipped into the room and proceeded to play with the other two.

I stared at Clementine in pity. She seemed to be a jubilant soul. Completely oblivious to her family's deaths.

The police station was two hours away from the lake house, so for a long time, the children spent those hours in content merriment. When the authorities pounded on the door, the housekeeper of the house allowed them inside. My heart jumped up to my throat. I felt small when I heard the voices of the police. Swiftly, I shut the door behind me to lock me and the children in the bedroom.

The medical team declared the old woman dead on arrival.

Alyona appeared concerned. She knew what is happening.

Clementine is unable to know what is happening. I looked at her ears to see no hearing aids.

I could hear Cole talking to the authorities.

Curiously, I headed to the bedroom door and I opened it. I poked out my head to listen.

There was a soft woman's voice and Cole's strained voice. "Yes. Me and my wife are good friends with the Warner family. We could watch over her and Clementine until otherwise." Cole declared.

I smiled out of relief because of this.

Almost immediately after the authorities exited the house, Cole, my poor Cole, gathered up me and the children. He was a gentleman, collecting all of Alyona and Clementine's items and stuffing inside of the car.

I held Clementine's warm hand as I escorted her out of the lake house. Clementine gave me a beautiful smile that made my frozen heart melt.

Constance followed steadily behind me, holding Emma's hand with a small smile.

Briskly, we all climbed into the car, Clementine was strapped into Sabrina's car seat. Alyona remained silent, she stared blankly out of the car window. Clementine was perplexed by all of this, completely confused on what is happening.

I felt pity for the naive child. Her lips were a thin line of bafflement. Eagerly she poked Constance's shoulder with one finger. When she seized Constance's attention, Clementine began to sign.

Constance appeared in a content mood. She willfully signed back to her, engaging in her silent conservation. I knew nothing of sign language, so I stared at them in confusion.

Clementine's facial expression spoke words. Her eyes flickered with curiosity, she bit her lower lip, her finger movements grew erratic and desperate. Constance's fingers were slow and thorough.

Constance appeared to calm the little child down, evident to softening of Clementine's facial expression.

Constance leaned in close to Clementine and gave her a sweet kiss on her forehead.

The ride home was long and quiet. I had so many questions brewing within my mind. I desperately desired to probe Constance for more information. I wanted to tell her everything that occurred over the weeks.

My questions swelled in my mind, ready to explode. I used all of my energy to wait until we made it home.

Immediately once we got home, Cole led us all inside. Clementine clung to Constance, holding her hand like a lifeline.

The house was seemingly dead. Cody was still gone and Wanda remained inside of her room.

"Mercy, mind if Constance rooms with you?" Cole asked me in a gentle voice.

I nodded acceptingly. "I don't mind." I pretended to be happy from this request. I grabbed Constance's hand to take her to my bedroom. Clementine didn't follow us to my bedroom and me and Constance are alone when I shut the door behind me. Cautious, I locked the door behind me and I spoke in my native tongue.

"What happened?"

Constance airily scrolled through my bedroom, examining her surroundings. "I pushed that bag of bones down the stairs," She spoke in her language, her voice soft as air. "She was in her late 80s with brittle bones and horrible hearing. Shocked she could legally drive." Constance remarked.

I was straightforward. "You need to live with me. I don't want you away from me with my secrets." I told her.

Constance looked at me, she didn't appear offended. "Fine. As long as I have a place to live," She shrugged her shoulders lazily. "In fact, I can just contact my sister for help."

I arched my eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Constance smiled at me faintly. "Maria tends to send me items and she's been endlessly helpful to me. I've been contacting her for the longest time. Even told her about you."

I felt my heart jerk. A pang of rage emerged out of me. I balled up my fists and I clenched my teeth. "You told her my secrets!" I snarled.

Constance remained composed. "Calm down, Alanna. Maria knows the urgency of this situation. She's been my rock for the longest time. Maria would never tell a soul about me or your secret." She reassured me.

"Does she know of the family?"

Constance's confidence washed away. She grew silent as she pondered to herself. Silently, Constance shook her head.

"Not now. I can't. Maria will lose her shit." Constance explained.

I arched my eyebrow at her. "Doesn't she know you're….." Constance cut me off. "She does. But she wants me to be better. Maria knows I have violent tendencies. But at the same time, Maria is a gentle soul. She believes all of my murders are on her hands. Not mine. I have murdered men and women multiple times before. But everytime I kill, Maria is tempted to turn me in. I'm going to wait to confess to her. When the time is right."

Constance plopped on top of my soft bed. "What happened here? You were talking a mile a minute on the phone."

I took in a deep breath as I released out all of the recent events to Constance. "After Sabrina's death, life went to shit here. Wanda started this "Sabrina's Home" thing and she ended up fostering Emma." Constance jumped in. "That little girl with the green eyes?" Constance inquired.

I nodded. "Yes. She's a sweet little girl, I adopted her as my daughter." My lips quivered. "But, she's a sociopath, I believe."

Constance opened her mouth for me to clarify, but she then remembered something. "Oh, yeah. You told me she drugged that little girl." Constance said flatly.

"She showed no remorse for it at all." I explained.

"Do you still love her as a daughter?"

I nodded swiftly. "Definitely. I'm just shocked that a child her age can be this devious."

I continued with my confession. "Emma drugged Sheila and Melanie. We had to drown Sheila. and Melanie is in the hospital, pregnant."

"Pregnant?" Constance mouthed. She then released out a amused giggle. "Looks like that little bastard doesn't know how to pull out."

I didn't laugh at all. "This isn't funny. Now I have to worry about the investigations and everything!" I insisted.

Constance shrugged her shoulders. "I'm worried too, but the last thing you need is a heart attack. Just relax and sit on the bed with me." I took in a deep inhale to collect my nerves. I forced my unsteady legs to sit on my bed.

Constance smiled at me warmly. "We're fine, Alanna. Together, we're unstoppable."

I said nothing.

Next chapter will come soon. I am working on my other stories and I am considering a story about Constance. 


	34. The Pond

The awkwardness in the air hung over the dining table. It was Constance and Clementine's first dinner at the Weiss house. The small family was seated at the table, all of us eating Wanda's food slowly.

Her cooking lacked favor, it tasted like the food I ate at the mental institution. Once her food was delicious, but that was before her children dropped like flies. Wanda appeared forlorn, her face pale and her eyes dim.

Cody picked mindlessly at his food, his smartphone laid next to his plate. He engrossed himself in a online game. Emma appeared reserved, she ate her food without a care in the world. Clementine seemed to be in high spirits, unaware of her family's deaths. She clung close to her adoptive "sister." a cool headed Constance sat on my right and a silent Alyona sat on my left. Morgan was still recovering from her emotional turmoil and was silent as a mouse. Melanie still remained in the hospital. The doctors concluded she took in a high dose of drugs, luckily for Emma, she could not recall the fateful day. That high dose led Melanie to have a miscarriage, adding more misery to the family.

Wanda, despite all of her pain and misery, still managed to be compassionate. She forced out a faint smile to all of us.

"Everything is going to be okay." Wanda reassured all of us.

The table is utterly silent.

"One day, Sheila will come back. Don't worry." Wanda put on a content facade. She looked at Constance. "You're going to be really happy here." Wanda encouraged.

Constance smiled happily. "Thank you! I really love this house!" She chirped. Clementine smiled brightly, she eagerly began to sign to Wanda. Wanda's eyes widened with confusion, uneducated on sign language. Constance turned to her sister and promptly translated. "I really like this house too."

Life grew in Wanda's dim eyes.

Cole smiled warmly at this sight. I felt great pity for my darling. I have put him through so much. Hopefully one day, I will make his life as enjoyable as possible.

After dinner, Cole had to take Cody out for a doctor appointment, leaving everyone else with Wanda.

I had no interest to be around this wretched woman and I headed to my bedroom. Emma, Alyona, Constance, and Clementine followed me to play. Emma beamed with happiness, grabbed a pillow after my bed and flung it at me playfully.

"PILLOW FIGHT!" She squealed.

Clementine burst out giggling sweetly. Her laughter was music to my ears. Before I know, we all engaged in a playful pillow fight. The room immediately filled with boisterous laughter and energy.

For once, I actually felt sheer happiness. This is a small moment, but it is a profound moment of happiness for me.

Then our playtime is cut short upon hearing a deafening glass shatter and the foul mouth of Wanda.

"FUCK!" She hollered at the top of her lungs. Her voice shook the house, brimful of intensity and emotions. Then there are more shatters of glass downstairs.

"What the hell is she doing?" I asked in my head. "Fucking madwoman!"

Constance became curious, she briskly hurried out of my bedroom and vanished into the hallway. I stood there in front of my bedroom door. I was like a statue, I prepared myself for the little ones trying to investigate so I could stop them. Thankfully none were curious enough.

My curiosity began to increase every passing second. Wanda continued to swear up a hurricane downstairs. She yelled her heart out to the heavens, tossing and breaking fragile items in a fury.

Finally, my curiosity overwhelmed my common sense and I hurried out of my bedroom. I went to the staircase and stood on the top step. There, I'm met with the sight of Wanda with a half empty bottle of wine. The woman's movement was erratic and strange. Fragments of glass scattered on the floor, the dining room chairs were on the floor. Papers and other items were splattered onto the living room floor. It looked like a tornado stormed through the place.

As she spoke, her words began to slur and her tone became nearly incoherent.

With a furious scream, she slammed the bottle of wine to the floor as hard as she could. The bottle broke into fragments upon hitting the floor.

Then the drunk woman saw me. "MERCY!" She yelled, staggering to the staircase. I stood there like a statue, unsure on what to do.

"Time for car ride! Wanna go...go...to….park…"

My facial expression was lifeless. I wanted to vomit at this woman. She disgusted me to my core. I shook my head. Wanda didn't care for my approval.

"No! No! Nonsense! It's time for fun, kids!" She shouted as loud as she could.

By then, Morgan emerged out of her bedroom to investigate the commotion. Her eyes widened with shock upon seeing the mess her Mother created.

"MOM! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Morgan screamed. Wanda unsteadily looked up at her daughter, then she exploded into senseless laughter.

Morgan appeared flabbergasted. "Mom, stop!" She begged.

Wanda did not stop. She stumbled into the kitchen to grab another wine bottle. Wanda was on cloud nine, drunk as a skunk. She expressed her elated state by giggling and chortling at nothing.

I couldn't help but to stare at this wretched woman. She staggered out of the kitchen, swigging the wine in long gulps.

In her free hand, her fingers were glued to jiggling car keys.

"Mom, please! Stop!" Morgan shrieked. "What are you doing?"

Wanda responded by showcasing the car keys. "Time to have fun trip….time for park…" She stuttered.

Morgan was speechless. She had no idea of what to do.

"EMMA! ALYONA!" Wanda shouted at the top of her lungs. "TIME FOR PARK!" I felt my nerves burning with alarm. No! I can't allow this bitch to drive us anywhere. She's drunk as a skunk.

Before I could do anything, Emma and Alyona exited their bedroom. I whirled around to them. "No! Go back to your room!" I ordered them.

Alyona and Emma appeared perplexed.

"COME ON! IN THE CAR! TIME TO GO!" Wanda screeched. Alyona appeared baffled, she didn't know who to obey. The adult or me.

Emma hurried over to the staircase to look at Wanda. "TIME TO GO!" Wanda demanded.

Constance emerged out of the bedroom. "What's going on?" She inquired to me. Clementine poked her little head out of the bedroom curious.

I was determined to not allow Wanda to endanger my little ones. "Go back to the bedroom!" I commanded.

No one listened to me.

Wanda trudged up the stairs, despite her drunkenness, she managed to keep up a brisk pace. "TIME TO GO!" She yelled as she made it up the stairs. When she came close to me, I contemplated shoving her down the stairs.

"Time for park!" She shouted with a stupid grin.

Alyona appeared concerned. "Are you okay?" She asked.

Wanda gesture wildly. "YEAH!" She cried. "CAR!"

Alyona and Emma exchanged a look together. I could tell Alyona didn't want to go with Wanda, but she didn't know what else to do.

Then I felt a strong grip on my arm. Wanda's hold was like an iron vice. "Let's go!" She croaked. Alyona's eyes widened with alarm. She began to tremble.

I knew whatever Wanda wanted to do would end terribly. I began to struggle against Wanda like a fish on a hook. "LET ME GO!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. Wanda gave me one forceful yank down the stairs. She was utterly stronger than me and overwhelmed me.

The madwoman dragged me downstairs as if I was a sack of potatoes. "TO THE CAR, KIDS!" She yelled at the top of her lungs.

I desired the presence of Cole. He would not allow this madness to occur. I was helpless at this moment. I had no weapon or any kind of defense. I released out a shrill scream of protest that fell on deaf ears.

The other children were all silent, I caught a glimpse of Constance standing stiffly at the top of the stairs. Clementine running pass her gave her energy. "NO! CLEM! NO!" She screamed. Clementine, of course, could not hear her. She seemed to be intrigued.

Wanda was adamant to her drunk idea. The woman proceeded to drag me outside in the snowy weather, I shivered violently from the ruthless winter cold.

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" I screeched hysterically.

Wanda ignored my cries and proceeded to tug me to the SUV. She unlocked it with the car keys and jerked the door open with her free hand.

"INTO THE CAR, MERCY!" Wanda commanded.

I had no intentions of getting into the car. But I had no choice, Wanda wrapped both of her arms around me and hauled me up into the air.

I released out a small shriek when I was tossed into the backseat of the SUV. I landed facefirst into the cushion of the seat.

"MOM!" Morgan bolted out of the house, horror reflected in her glassy eyes. "STOP!" My heart jerked with apprehension.

I picked myself when Wanda slammed the car door behind me. "CRAZY BITCH!" I roared as my rage emerged. I whirled around to the car door to see the other children coming out of the house. All dressed in their coats and boots. Constance exited the house in her coat with alarm framed in her eyes. I attempted to open the door, only for me to be locked inside with the child lock. My lungs tightened with terror. I felt claustrophobic. Wanda briskly hurried to the other children and snatched up Constance.

Constance struggled against Wanda with all ferocity and determination she could muster. "LET ME GO! YOU CRAZY BITCH! GET AWAY FROM ME!" She hollered intensely. Wanda was too strong for Constance, she pulled her to the car with no trouble. She opened the backseat door, chilly winds impacted my face when she does. Similar to me, Wanda tossed a squirming Constance into the backseat with me. Constance landed in the backseat kicking and screaming. "THAT DUMB CUNT IS GONNA DIE!" She ranted. Her face was beet red with rage. When Wanda approached Clementine, Constance flew into a rage. "YOU BITCH!" Constance instantly proceeded to slam her fists on the car window. "STAY AWAY FROM HER!"

Constance's cried fell onto deaf ears. Clementine didn't struggle, Wanda easily placed her into the car, strapping her into the babyseat.

I watched in helpless terror as Emma and Alyona all crawled into the car under Wanda's incessant commands. Alyona and Emma sat in the very back. Alyona trembled like a leaf in a hurricane. Emma's eyes were wide as saucers.

The only child not to be in the car was Morgan. She sprinted into the house in a mad haste. By then, Wanda jumped into the driver seat and activated the car. I grew stiff as a statute, not knowing what to do. All I wanted was Cole at this moment.

When the car came alive, Wanda immediately began to drive as unsteady and fast as she could. The SUV filled with shrieks and cries as Wanda violently zigzagged through the open road. I feared us going on the highway with Wanda driving intoxicated.

Wanda began to speed up when we ended up at the long bridge. Her drunkenness led her to abruptly slam on the brakes, making everyone jerk violently. Out of terror, I belted myself with the seatbelt. I felt my head spinning, my heart thundered in my chest. My fingers clung to the carhandle, vigorously tugging at it with all of my might.

"WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOOOOO MUCH FUN! SEATBELTS!" Wanda shouted joyfully. Then she sped up upon entering a icy road. I looked out the window with quickening heartbeats. I saw nothing but trees and frozen lakes and ponds. The house was out of sight.

"STOP THIS CAR! YOU'RE GOING TO KILL US!" Constance screeched. Wanda burst out laughing. "Stop being so dramatic….drama queen!" Wanda slurred.

Then Wanda turned a sudden left turn, the turn swerved the car off the road with frightening speed. Adrenaline coursed through my system. The seatbelt tugged on my skin with every jerk. The extreme motion made my head swim. My eyes stared down at the car floor as I struggled to remain in one piece. Wanda released out a ear splitting scream as the SUV dashed down the ditch. I braced myself for the SUV to collide with a tree, my life flashed before my eyes. I did not want to die! I released out a primal scream of terror. "NOOOOOO!"

Then Wanda attempted to turn the SUV around by lurching the steering wheel, but it was too late. I was unable to see where we were exactly. The little children's terrified screams echoed throughout the SUV as Wanda made the SUV swerve violently.

"NO! NO! NO!" Wanda screamed, I could hear the awareness in her voice. I mustered all of my willpower to look up, all I see is trees in the front. I whirled around to see Wanda reversing into a frozen pond.

A shrill scream escaped my throat when we impacted the pond, instantly breaking the ice. "FUCK!" I shrieked as the SUV jerked upright. I felt like I was a rocket ship as gravity altered at this moment. The SUV broke through the ice, the back of the SUV sank into the icy waters. "SHIT!" I screamed as the water pressure began to crack the backseat windows.

Hysteria exploded in the car. Alyona sobbed her heart out, clinging to a trembling Clementine. Emma screamed at the top of her lungs, her eyes pouring with tears of terror. Her face red and tearful. Constance struggled to keep her composure, shaking like a leaf.

"NO! IT CAN'T END LIKE THIS!" I screeched. I tugged at my hair, yanking as violently as I could. Trapped in my seatbelt, I squirmed and twisted vigorously. In my state of panic, I have forgotten how to release myself from the seatbelt.

Then the deafening shattering of the glass made my heart skip a beat.

"MERCY!" Alyona screeched out my name as icy water flooded the very back of the SUV. Emma, Clementine, and Alyona were trapped in their seatbelts the rapid waters submerged the helpless children. Constance released herself and jolted into the backseat to Clementine. "CLEM!" But the water appeared to be too much for her bear as the water completely swallowed the backseat.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" I found the knowledge of how to release myself from the seatbelt. The second I am free, the water rushed into my carseat row. The water swiftly overwhelmed the car, flooding the insides with freezing water. I made sure I stood up to avoid submerging into the water. I did not know how to swim.

Quick thinking, I jumped into the front seat, I was met with the sight of Wanda limp in the driver seat, appearing to be in a self induced trance. I pretended this woman didn't exist and I jolted onto her lap. I grabbed the steering wheel, I had no idea on how to drive. I never learned how to drive.

"GODDAMMIT!" Every second counted. I jammed my foot onto Wanda's foot to slam on the gas. The SUV roared with life, but it was not enough to the SUV to escape the waters.

"KEEP GOING!" Constance screamed urgently. I kept putting pressure on the gas, every single inch mattered. I was terrified for my little ones. How long does it take to die from drowning? Horrified thoughts flooded my mind.

"COME ON! COME ON!"

Then with a stroke of luck, the SUV jerked to the snowy surface, when the car flopped upright, the brutal force shoved my body into the steering wheel. Sharp pain shot through my chest.

"YES!" I rejoiced upon the SUV escaping the pond's mouth. The icy waters poured out of the broken windows, emptying the backseat.

When I whirled around to the backseat, I released out a terrified scream when I am met with the sight of Emma, Alyona, and Clementine all unconscious and drenched. Their once youthful skin were cursed with haunting paleness. My mind raced wildly, I grew rigid with terror. "SHIT!" Constance shrieked in horror. "Get help!"

Constance doesn't wait, she launched herself to the passenger seat. "WE NEED HELP!" Constance swiftly snatched Wanda's cell phone from her pant pocket.

"SHIT! SHIT!" She yelled as she frantically dialed 911.

"HELLO! HELLO! MY GUARDIAN CRASHED HER CAR INTO A POND! HELP! MY LITTLE SISTER IS UNCONSCIOUS! HELP! HELP!"

Constance proceeded to frantically talk to the operator. "YES! YES! PLEASE! COME QUICK!"

I felt helpless at this moment. I had no idea how to deal with this.

Constance shouted to me. "THEY'RE COMING! THEY'RE COMING!"

Then I heard Alyona and Emma hacking out their lungs. I turned my head to them with a thundering heart. "ARE YOU OKAY?" I screamed.

Alyona and Emma were unable to answer me. All they could do was cough their lungs out to expel the invasive liquid.

Clementine was still unconscious and motionless.

I had no inkling of time when I heard the deafening sirens of the authorities coming towards us.

"THEY'RE COMING!" I announced. With that, an ambulance and police cars drove down to us. This is the first time, I felt relief from seeing the authorities. I wanted this madwoman to rot in her cell. "FUCK YOU, BITCH!" I roared in the drunk woman's face.

The police officers sprinted to the SUV, jerking the doors open. One officer carried me out of the SUV and into the snowy environment. When I saw a burly cop carrying my little Alyona and another tall officer carrying my little Emma, my heart shattered. I broke down into hysterical tears.

"CLEMENTINE! CLEMENTINE!" Constance shrieked. She was carried by an officer, all of us were promptly escorted to the ambulance.

 _ **Next chapter will come soon. Working on other stories.**_


	35. The Flowers of Misery

There I sat idly on the edge of the hospital bed. My heart impulsed in my chest. I felt completely numb from head to toe. I have been in this hospital room for endless amounts of hours. Cole was miles away with Cody, Wanda was promptly arrested after the car crash incident, so I was completely alone. When the authorities carried me to the ambulance, I watched a heavily intoxicated Wanda lashing out at the authorities, kicking and screeching. The medical staff walked into the room I resided in. A dark-haired nurse approached me with a soft smile. "Feeling alright?" She asked me.

I nodded silently. The nurse already examined me and deemed me healthy. Thankfully I was able to escape the invasive waters and remained unharmed. My makeup was still intact and my clothes were bone dry.

I worried about my little daughters' fates. I recollected Emma and Alyona expelling the waters from their lungs, but Clementine wasn't as lucky.

My heart swooned when Cole spilled into the room. "MERCY!" He cried out. The poor man's face contorted with concern. "Are you okay?" He asked me once he approached me. I felt great pity for him.

"Yes, Daddy.." I answered softly. Cole responded by embracing me lovingly. "Everything is going to be okay. I promise." He reassured me. Cole then released me and leaned in to give me a heartwarming kiss on the cheek.

Then a fair-haired nurse entered the room. "Mr. Weiss?" She called out to him. Cole whirled around to her. "Sir, I have news about the children."

I braced myself for the worst.

"Alyona and Emma are doing fine. They're resting." I released out a sigh of relief upon hearing that. Then my heart hitched when I remembered Clementine.

"Clementine…..she...suffered brain damage."

My mind became blank, I felt like I was on the verge of collapsing to the floor.

Cole's mouth dropped wide open. "Brain damage! How..how bad?" His eyes bulged with shock.

The nurse flashed a compassionate smile. "Clementine is suffering amnesia from the brain damage. Her nerves and muscles are fine. We ran tests on her, she is clearly suffering from a case of amnesia. She's currently in a medically induced coma."

Cole appeared flabbergasted. "Oh my God…" He sighed.

My heart shattered at that moment. I broke down into hysterical tears.

Cole, being such a kindred spirit, embraced me warmly. Rocking me back and forth, he whispered comforting words into my ear. I felt my spirits lift slightly.

The nurse spoke to me in a gentle voice coated with compassion. "Don't worry, Clementine is going to be okay. I promise you." She said softly.

The nurse extended out a kind hand to me. "My name is Mareli, Mercy. Nice to meet you." Mareli flashed me a beautiful smile.

I then caught a glimpse of Cole eyeing Mareli. I could see the attraction dancing in this eyes. I felt a pang of jealousy at this moment. I examined Mareli from head to toe. She was conventionally pretty with an oval shaped face, fair complexion, flowy blonde hair, and silver eyes. Compared to Wanda, she is glamorous and younger.

Cole broke his gaze at Mareli and he focused on me. "She's right. Everything is going to be okay." He smiled at me.

I stared at Mareli and Cole in disbelief before I focused on the critical matter.

I remained at the hospital for several hours. I was released out of the hospital room. I found myself sitting idly in Clementine's medical room with a blank-faced Constance sitting next to me. Constance was silent as a mouse, she seemed to be in a self-induced trance, staring blankly at a comatose Clementine.

It was two hours later when Cole decided to take me and Constance home. Only me and Constance home. Emma and Alyona required bedrest. I felt a failure. I should have done something about Wanda. My hatred for that bloody woman grew every passing second. I will make sure her death is slow and painful. I will give her a one way ticket to hell!

The ride home was long and silent. No one uttered a word, the entire environment was thick with sorrow.

When we arrived home, we all trudged in the frosty night to the front door.

"Everything is going to be fine." Cole said as he unlocked the front door.

Upon opening the door, Morgan called out to her Father. "DAD!" She shrieked. Upon entering the home, Morgan tossed herself to her Father with flowing tears. "DADDY, MOM! SHE...SHE…" Morgan was too hysterical to finish her sentence. Cole embraced his sobbing child lovingly. "It's okay….it's okay…" He whispered gently.

Morgan removed herself, her face beet red. "Mom was acting crazy!" Morgan wept.

All I wanted to do is seclude myself in my bedroom. I was boiling with intense fury. In an instant, I made a mad haste to my room and leaped into my domain. Unfortunately, Constance was on my tail and snuck into the bedroom with me. Ever since Constance and Clementine arrived, Cole desired to make the children as comfortable as possible. Across my bedroom was a twin bed for Constance. It was a comfortable creme colored bed with soft pillows and warm blankets.

Clementine roomed with Emma. She was a better individual to share a room with Emma.

I looked at her livid facial expression and I could she hated Wanda as much as me.

She spoke in apoplectic Estonian. "That cunt is going to be six feet deep!" She snarled.

I nodded. I have already sealed Wanda's fate. Her blood will be splattered on me. I didn't want Constance to take that away from me.

"I'm taking that bitch's life." I declared.

Constance gave me a cold look. "That cunt nearly killed us! She needs to die! I don't care if you want to kill her first. But when I get the chance, I will end her pitiful existence!"

Despite my hatred for Wanda, I remained level headed. "Not yet. I need to seduce Cole first. Until then, I need Wanda to be here for the little ones. I need to kill her at the right time. It won't be easy to just kill the bitch immediately." I said solemnly.

Constance rolled her eyes. "My Clementine is in a fucking coma!" She hissed, her eyes boiling with hatred.

I nodded in agreement. "I know. I know. But Clementine is going to be okay," Then I remembered that Wanda was arrested.

"Thankfully the bitch is rotting in her barren cell."

Constance cracked out a small smile. "Hopefully Cole doesn't bail her out."

I then remembered Mareli. "He probably isn't," I felt my jealousy boiling on my tongue. "I saw the man drooling over a nurse." I gossiped.

Constance arched an eyebrow. "Really? Who?"

"A woman named Mareli," I pushed back my jealousy. I didn't have any evidence that Cole was exactly attracted to this woman. "You know what? I'm overreacting." I said dismissively. I felt all of my nerves fizzled. I developed a forceful headache as my anxiety rose throughout my body.

"All of this is bullshit!" I vented. I slammed my fists onto my bed. Every passing second, I could feel myself losing self-control. "Why can't anything just be easy?" I complained.

Constance possesses no empathy for my distress. "Enough with the waterworks, Alanna. We need action, not emotions! All I know is that Wanda is going to meet the grim reaper very soon!"

I rolled my eyes as anger flashed inside of me. "Listen, Tatiana! You are in my home!" I glared at her coldly. I am not in the mood to be pushed around.

"You better shut the fuck up and listen! Wanda is my kill!" I snarled. "Mine and mine alone!" I pointed a firm finger in her face. "The only reason why I am even allowing you to be here is that you know my fucking secrets! You are lucky about that fact because you would be rotting in a fucking cell by now, you cunt!"

Constance's eyes widened with frustration. Me and her exchanged a ferocious look to each other. Constance rolled her eyes at me and swatted a hand at me dismissively. "Fine." She said flatly. Constance scowled darkly. "I won't kill Wanda," Then she swiftly added. "But if she does some stupid shit again to me or Clementine, I will slit her throat in her sleep." She warned.

I nodded in agreement.

When nighttime arrived, I struggled to sleep. My restlessness contrasted Constance's deep slumber. I found myself staring at the ceiling as my mind raced.

All I could of was my murder of Wanda Weiss. I was shocked by this action of hers. Despite my hatred for her, on the surface, she seemed to be a well rounded and kind-hearted woman. She was pretty, smart, and refined for conventional standards.

I recollected my arrival to this house. It was so free and happy. But now, it looks like a completely different home.

I suppose Wanda's spiraling fall into madness is my doing. I did kill Sabrina, I killed the remainder of her late daughter. Sheila is dead, rotting at the bottom of a bridge. Her daughters got knocked up and both lost her grandchildren.

But at the same time, I can't forgive Wanda for nearly killing me and the other children.

Then I thought of Alyona. My longstanding daughter. Hard to believe I managed to keep her for this long. She was beautiful, sweet, intelligent, and wonderful. She deserves so much better than me.

I kept envisioning myself stabbing Wanda repeatedly in the chest, her terrified screams echoing through my mind.

Hopefully one day I will make that fantasy a reality.

….

The next morning, I did my Mercy routine and headed downstairs for breakfast. My entire body is brimful of stress, I suffered a powerful migraine. I was the only person up in this home, sitting idly at the dining table. I gazed at my surroundings, yesterday still fresh in my mind. Cole and Morgan ended cleaning up Wanda's mess, making the house spotless.

I found myself sitting there for a long time. So I ended up heading into the kitchen to make myself a bowl of cereal. As I poured a bowl of flakes into a blue bowl, my eyes were glued to a half-open lower cabinet.

I did not know why I was intrigued by this, but I placed the box of cereal on the counter and I headed to the cabinet.

When I opened it, I discovered Wanda's wine stack. "Holy shit!" I whispered under my breath. Stacked neatly in the cabinet was a row of various wine bottles. From Merlot to Whiskey to Chardonnay.

"No wonder this bitch was drunk as fuck," I commented.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

My heart jolted with terror. I whirled around to the front door. The knocking stopped and whoever is at the door began to ring the doorbell.

I had no interest in getting the door, so I ignored it and closed the cabinet door. I resumed making my breakfast.

Whoever is at the door refused to be ignored and forcefully began to pound on the door. Luckily for me, Cole emerged out of his bedroom. "Coming! Hold on!" Cole shouted as he hobbled downstairs.

Cole hurried to the front door, peeked through the peephole, and jerked the door open.

"Cole." My curiosity peaked when I heard the soft voice of a woman. I inched out of the kitchen and into the living room to get a better look.

I am met with the sight of Cole embracing a redheaded woman. Pangs of jealousy hit me like a freight train. I balled up my fists, my nails digging into my skin. I felt myself burning up on the inside with rage. I glared at the woman full of loathing.

NO! NO! NO! THAT BASTARD WILL NOT BREAK MY HEART! COLE IS A TWO TIMING SON OF A BITCH!

The woman was admittedly pretty. Prettier than Mareli and Wanda combined if I'm honest. She had medium-length wavy red hair and green eyes. She looked to be in her youthful 20s with a curvy figure.

"Ashley, I am so happy to see you again!" Cole said.

I clenched my teeth. NO! COLE, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPY TO BE AROUND ME! ME! I contemplated just pouncing on the woman like a wild animal. I wanted to rip out her hair and shove it down her throat.

Cole's eyes flickered to me for a swift moment. "Mercy," He whirled around to me, my facial expression was blank as paper.

He gestured to the woman with a faint smile. "Mercy, this is your Auntie. Aunt Ashley." He introduced.

Ashley turned her head to me with a small smile. "Hello, you must be Mercy." She had a gentle voice that is flooded with kindness.

I still didn't like this woman, but I forced myself to smile. "Hello, Aunt Ashley," I said brightly.

The woman gave me a compassionate look. In our short time of interaction, Ashley deemed me as a traumatized child that needed nurture. "How are you feeling?" Ashley asked me. Cole became silent and awaited my answer.

I made my voice become small. "I'm fine." I said.

Ashley was not convinced. Her voice coated with sympathy. "I know things are hard right now. Your Daddy told me everything. Just remember to talk to the adults if you feel super sad." She gestured as she spoke. "Everyone can help you, honey." Her voice was warm but slow. She spoke to me as if I was stupid.

I nodded slowly. "Yes, Aunt Ashley." I said politely.

I caught a glimpse of Cole appearing pale. He stared me directly in the eyes, biting his lower lip. "Mercy…" He seized my attention.

Cole exhaled. Heavily. "What happened with Mommy?" Cole croaked. He swiftly added. "I know it is hard to talk about. If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine."

I shook my head. I was eager to ruin Wanda's damaged reputation.

"I can talk about it." I said firmly.

Ashley smiled at me proudly.

Cole nodded. "Go on." He urged.

Without even waiting, my words spilled out of my mouth. "Mommy was drinking. She started to break stuff, screaming and saying bad words!" I said childishly. Ashley's eyes become glassy and Cole dug his nails into the cushion of the couch.

I continued. "Mommy grabbed my arm," For effect, I made myself cry on command. "She….grabbed my arm...it hurt. She pulled me outside with no coat or sweater! Mommy threw me in the car and then she got Constance...and everyone else. Mommy was saying weird stuff and she was driving really fast. She drove into the wood and to that pond. Mommy drove it into the pond and….Alyona, Emma, and Clem was in the very back. The car got full of water….and.." I wiped a tender tear away. "They were underwater. I was so scared. I….I...got into the front seat and I was able to get on Mommy. She was sleeping, I think. I stomped on her foot on the gas. It took awhile, the car got out of the pond and Constance called 911."

Ashley looked like she was on the verge of tears. "Oh my God...wow.." She gasped.

Cole placed a exhausted hand on his forehead. "I….never expected this out of her…" He muttered in disbelief.

"She….stopped.." His voice trailed off. He then turned to his tearful sister. "She stopped. She told me she hasn't had a sip in years!"

Ashley shook her head and sighed. "Maybe...with all of the stuff going on….she must have lost it." Ashley reasoned.

"She nearly killed the kids. I...I..never expected this out of her!" Cole expressed.

Ashley still managed to be the voice of reason. "Cole, remember Sabrina," At that moment, Cole jerked and snapped his head to me. Alarm framed in his eyes. "Go upstairs, Mercy. We are having a adult conservation, Sweetheart."

I wanted to frown. I was actually interested in this conservation. But I didn't want to plague Cole with my defiance. I nodded obediently and I hurried upstairs.

When I reached the very top step, Cole resumed his conservation with his sister. I had no plans to actually go back to my bedroom. I decided to be sneaky, on my knees, I planted myself by the banister, watching the siblings from above.

"When Sabrina died," Cole's voice cracked. "Wanda and I just kept fighting and fighting. She started to drink and drink. She was drinking to get rid of the pain of the loss, but she became addicted to it."

Ashley was a good listener, she remained silent as she placed a supportive hand on Cole's shoulder.

"We just weren't happy. I was dumb. I actually blamed Wanda for her death. The Nanny quit literally hours after she drowned. She knew she was in deep trouble. Wanda..and I just didn't know how to cope," Cole exhaled loudly. "I thought once we got back together and she became pregnant again, I thought nothing else like that would happen again. Then...Sabrina...drowns. Then Sheila...disappears."

Ashley finally spoke. "Cole, you just need to stay strong. Think about therapy." She suggested. "Talk to Wanda about getting help."

"I'm just worried about the kids. I think I told you, Ash. Melanie, Morgan both got pregnant. Then they both had miscarriages. Mel is still in the hospital and I am just so scared for her! Then the Warner family's house just exploded out of nowhere and now we got their kids to care for. Think about it, Constance and Clem have had so much of a hard life. They just lost their family and Wanda drives themselves into a pond. The kids can't seem to catch a break. Clem, the poor thing, is in a coma. A fucking coma, Ashley!" The brokenness in Cole's voice stabbed my heart. This poor man.

"She's a baby. She's a child in a coma!" Cole expressed.

"And...Emma...she is like the sweetest angel in the world. She is stuck in the hospital, her life has been drastically changed forever. Think about the psychological effects on her. Alyona….looked like she was on the verge of death. But the person I worry for the most is…..Mercy."

I felt my heart swoon.

"Mercy doesn't deserve this. She lost her family and now this. Now her Mommy nearly killed her and drove her into the pond. No kid should have to experience anything like this!"

Ashley nodded. "All of this is just insane. I am so sorry, Cole." Her voice coated with compassion. "If you need anything, ask me."

Cole embraced Ashley briefly. "Thanks. I know I can count on you." Cole remarked.

Ashley shuffled in her seat slightly. "So what about Wanda?" Ashley inquired.

Cole was quiet for a short moment. "I don't know." He ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't want the mother of my children to be in jail." He couldn't finish that sentence.

"Did she call you?" Ashley probed.

Cole nodded. "Yes."

"What did she say?"

"She...just...cried. Barely got a word out." Cole explained.

Ashley insisted. "Well are you going to pay her bail?"

Cole was stiff as a statute, he was quiet as a mouse. Time seemed to slow down.

I thought of Constance. I don't trust her enough to not kill Wanda. I didn't want that bitch back honestly.

Cole then made my heart drop when he nodded. "Yeah. I...I'm going to pay her bail tomorrow….I talked to her and I told her the plan. I just need to comfort the kids first, make sure they are okay and then bail out their Mother."

Ashley grew rigid. "Can you do that? What about….CPS? Do you think someone who nearly killed her kids by driving drunk should be in the same house? I'm positive that will attract authorities to the house."

Cole became frustrated, he released out a soft groan. "Ash, please, you are giving me a massive headache." He complained.

Ashley is insistent. "Cole, this is serious. Wanda could be charged with child abuse. CPS takes away kids for basically anything. Think about how the authorities will think."

Cole exhaled heavily. "I don't know, Ash." He croaked. "Like what else should I do? You just said that Wanda should just get help!"

"No. After everything is said and done. Bailing her out, exposing her to the children, it is just a bad idea." Ashley objected.

Cole slumped in his seat. "I just don't know, Ash. I really don't. I never thought Wanda was capable of this." But Cole remained adamant in his decision. "I am bailing her out. She is getting help. Therapy. Counseling. Just help with her issues. The kids need their Mother. I know Wanda, she would never do this if she was in the right state of mind."

"Damn." I mumbled under my breath.

Ashley gave up. She sighed in defeat. "Fine, Cole. But...maybe I should stay here with you. You know for support. For today at least."

Cole nodded. "Thank you, Ashley."

When the conservation ceased, I lost my appetite as my mind raced. I sprung up to my feet and I rushed to my bedroom. When I spilled into my room, I found Constance brushing her hair. She dressed in a cute dress uniform. Constance turned to me. "What?"

"Cole's sister is here," I said.

Constance's eyes widened. "Sister? I didn't know he had a sister."

I nodded and proceeded to lock the door. "Yeah, I think he has two sisters. One of them being Sheila's Mother and the woman downstairs. Her name is Ashley."

Constance finished brushing her hair and plopped on her bed. "Why is she here?"

"To comfort Cole. He's a mess right now. Ashley talked about Wanda alot and she tried to convince him to not bail out Wanda." I sauntered to my bed.

Constance's eyes widened offended. "Are you serious? The bastard is trying to get that whore out of prison!" Constance scowled darkly.

I stared at Constance. I could see the temptation in her eyes. "Don't even think about it. She is mine!" I declared fiercely.

Constance shrugged her shoulders lazily. "I'm not. But releasing a woman like her is just a stupid idea." She expressed. She ran her fingers through her dark hair.

I wasn't in the mood to debate. I just shrugged my shoulders in defeat.

…..

When Alyona and Emma were deemed healthy by the hospital, Cole gathered up me and Constance to pick them up. It was a cold afternoon with chilly winds. When Alyona entered the backseat, I found myself embracing her tightly.

Alyona jerked with alarm as I surprised her. When Emma arrived, I group hugged the both of them. Joy filled me to the brim. "I AM SO HAPPY YOU ARE OKAY!" I could feel my maternal instincts blossoming. Alyona embraced me back warmly. "I missed you too, Mercy!" She said sweetly. Emma just smiled brightly at me. I planted loving kisses on their foreheads.

Today was an eventful day, Melanie has been released out of the hospital. Ashley took the liberty to drive the girl back home.

Constance sat in the very backseat, isolated from all of us. "Mr. Weiss," She called out.

"Yes?" Cole said, his eyes glued to the road.

"Where is Clementine?" Constance asked innocently.

Cole released out a soft sigh. "Still in the hospital, Sweetheart. I'm sorry. But she will be fine."

Constance accepted that answer and resumed her silence.

As Cole drove, he played lively music to lift everyone's spirits. Alyona was in high spirits from escaping death. I listened to her beautiful voice sing along with the song playing on the radio.

When we arrived home, I grabbed my daughters' hands as tight as I could. We trudged through the snow, following Cole to the front door.

Cole whirled around to us when he approached the front door with a forced smile. "I got a surprise for you, girls! Someone really special is back home!" He encouraged.

None of us said anything in response. It was so silent that you could hear a pin drop. Cole seemed to have sensed the awkwardness in the air and whirled around back to the door. He swiftly unlocked the door and jerked it open.

I am mortified by the sight of Wanda standing in the center of the living room with a wide smile. She looked better than before. Behind her was the festive dining room. Sugary baked goods piled on the dining table, balloons floated to the ceiling.

Emma's eyes widened with shock. "You're back?" She gasped.

Wanda nodded livelily. "Yes!" She swiftly gestured to the dining table. "I made you guys a big party!" She exclaimed.

"I got lemon cakes, cheesecake, doughnuts, and so much more!" Wanda looked at all of us with a grin.

I wanted to roll my eyes at this woman. I knew what she was doing. Trying to atone for her nearly killing us all.

None of the children spoke. They all just stared at Wanda in silence.

"Want anything?" Wanda offered.

Emma was the first person to respond. "No." She said coldly. She didn't wait, she rushed upstairs.

I glanced at Constance. Her facial expression was lifeless. Her eyes were locked onto Wanda's. I feared for a brief second that she would lash out of her.

But she did not. Instead, Constance hurried away from us and headed upstairs without a word.

Now it was just me and Alyona. I didn't know why I didn't just head upstairs, like everyone else. To be honest, I was intrigued. I wanted to see the aftermath of Wanda returning home.

A flash of hurt flashed in Wanda's eyes, but it quickly disappeared when she focused on me. "Mercy, want some of the cake?" She asked me.

I shook my head. "No, Mommy."

Wanda frowned and looked at Alyona. "You?"

When Alyona opened her mouth to respond, Cole decided to intervene. "Wanda, I think it's best if the kids just relax for now. Me and you have something to talk about."

Wanda's happy facade immediately melted. "Cole," Anger grew in her voice. "Cole, I am talking to our daughter!" She hissed.

Cole is not having it. He gestured to me and Alyona to head upstairs. "Go upstairs." He ordered. I nodded and I pulled Alyona to the staircase. I could feel the tension in the air tightening. I caught a glimpse of Ashley imagining out of the kitchen.

"Cole!" She called out. Wanda and Cole whirled around to her.

My curiosity peaked when we reached the end of the stairs, I desperately wanted to listen.

"Mercy, what are you doing?" Alyona asked me when I shuffled towards the banister.

I kept my voice low. "I want to listen." I told her honestly. Ashley scrolled over to the couple and engaged in a conservation. Their voice were low and muffled

Alyona shook her head. "No. We need to go to our rooms." She insisted.

I was stubborn as a mule. "I will." I said.

Wanda suddenly raised her voice. "COLE! ARE YOU SERIOUS?" She shouted.

I could feel Alyona's persistent fingers digging into my shoulders. She gave me a stern yank. "Come on, Mercy! We're going to get in trouble!"

I turned to her to see her firmly pointing to my bedroom. "Come on!" She urged.

I wanted to protest, but Alyona used all of her strength to pull me to my bedroom. She could be very insistent when she needed to be.

"Wanda and Cole are really mad right now. I don't want you to get in trouble!" Alyona explained as she closed the door behind me.

I frowned unhappily. I understood her actions, but I hated that I was unable to hear the conservation.

"Don't eavesdrop, Mercy," Alyona commanded. She shuffled out of my bedroom and headed to hers.

I was tempted to head back outside to listen, but Alyona's advice seemed reasonable. I didn't want to risk being caught.

The conservation downstairs was short-lived, Wanda's thundering footsteps marched upstairs. Wanda emphasized her anger by slamming the door as loud as she could.

It was when it was time to go to bed, I prepared to take a steamy bath. Constance relaxed in the bathroom in my room, forcing me to take a bath in the hallway bathroom. I wrapped myself in a snow-white robe, my hair pinned into a bun. I placed my makeup kit and a fresh nightgown on the sink counter. As I hobbled to the bathroom, Wanda approached me.

"Mercy?" She said sternly.

I struggled not to frown at her. I turned her with an innocent smile. "Yes, Mommy?" I said politely.

Wanda appeared cautious, she turned her head behind her to see if anyone was around.

A pang of confusion hit me as Wanda scanned the area.

Once she concluded that everyone resided in their bedrooms, she smiled at me. "I want to show you something." She offered.

I shook my head. "I'm about to take a bath." I told her.

Wanda was insistent. "It will be quick. Come on, it's something important." She urged.

Bitch, I am naked under this robe. Can you fucking wait? I screamed in my head.

Wanda was adamant. "It's really important. It will be quick." She coaxed.

I hoped for Cole to come and get this annoying woman away from me. I wanted to scream and shout at this woman. I wanted to tell her how much I despise her mere existence.

But I am Mercy. So I swallowed all of my willpower and played my part. "Okay, Mommy." I agreed childishly.

Wanda nodded with a cheerful smile. "Cool. Just throw some cloth on and come downstairs." She ordered.

Obediently, I hobbled to my bedroom, scowling at nothing. I obeyed her, slipping into a random dress with slippers to match. Under my breath, I spewed out foul words and curses.

"Just get this over with," I told myself. I scurried out of the bedroom and I met up with Wanda downstairs.

"Come on," Wanda kept her voice soft and low. I silently followed Wanda to the greenhouse. It was a beautiful area that I have never entered before. It is lush with plant life and fruits. The temperature of the greenhouse is pleasantly humid and comfortable.

Wanda's movement was purposely slow. She grabbed my cold hand with a firm grip. I had to use all of my will not to yank away.

At the end of the greenhouse is a massive display of vibrant yellow flowers. Wanda escorted me to it.

I felt annoyance brewing within my chest. This bitch stopped me from taking a nice bath to look at fucking flowers? I thought bitterly.

"I should have told you about this. A long time ago." Her voice lacked energy, sorrow flooded her tone.

When we approached the flowers, I just stared at them in confusion. I didn't see anything important about them.

I glanced at Wanda to see tender tears dripping down her cheeks. "This...this is...Sabrina." She whispered brokenly.

I squinted my eyes in confusion. Then I remembered Wanda's journal entry about her child's drowning. I examined them and arched an eyebrow. Why did she turn her daughter's remains into flowers?

I pretended to be dumb. "You turned Sabrina into flowers?"

Wanda shook her head. "No. No." She croaked, wiping tears from her cheeks. "A few years ago before we had Sabrina, me and Daddy had another baby girl named Sabrina."

I arched an eyebrow. "There are two Sabrina."

Wanda traced her fingers delicately on the petals of the flowers. "When Sabrina died, we wanted to honor her death. So….we gave her name to her little sister."

"What happened to her?" I made sure my voice was shaky.

Wanda blinked away tears. "She..drowned. She drowned in a pool." She revealed.

I forced myself to appear sorrowful.

Wanda gestured to a dark plaque under the flowers. Wanda slowly read the words engraved into it. "Whenever I think of you, flowers appear. You were so beautiful and lively. Even though your life was short, your spirit will forever live on."

Wanda wiped more tears off of her cheeks. "Everyday, I will come here and I would just look at Sabrina." She explained to me.

Wanda placed a warm hand on my shoulder.

I grew impatient. I didn't understand why this woman decided to show me this at nighttime. "Why are you showing me this?" I whispered softly.

Wanda smiled faintly at me. "Mercy, I am so sorry about what I did." She apologized sincerely.

Her eyes shimmered with compassion. "I would never hurt you, Mercedes. Ever. I was wrong. I was dumb." She spoke methodically. Remorse flooded her voice. "I shouldn't have never drunk that much. I was wrong to do that. I am sorry, Mercy. I love you."

Wanda sniffled emotionally. She turned to the flowers. "I made a mistake, Mercy. I would never hurt you or your siblings. I promise." She expressed.

She stroke my golden hair gingerly. I stiffened with disgust.

"You are so brave, Mercy. You and Constance were very heroic," Intense emotions emitted from her eyes as she locked her sight on me. "I will never do anything like that ever again! I swear to you." She vowed. "You can trust me. I will never hurt you, I will never hurt Alyona, Constance, Emma, none of you."

All I wanted to do was snub this woman, I did not give a shit about her deceased child. In my mind, her redemption meant nothing.

But for now, I needed to play with her emotions to stay in character. I forced a single tear to drip down my cheek.

Wanda caught glimpse of this and embraced me warmly. "I love you." She whispered in my ear. I forced myself to throw my arms around her to embrace her. "You're a good Mommy." I complimented.

"She must have been really happy." I said to tug her heartstrings. Wanda tightly embraced me, heartfelt sobs escaped her throat. "Thank you. That means a lot." She croaked.

 _In the next chapter, Wanda is determined to redeem herself after the pond incident._

 _Chapter will come soon. Working on other stories and updating others._


	36. Madness Rules the Day

_**In this chapter, Mercy is faced with another challenge.**_

"Mercy, Constance, guess what?" Cole seized our attention. It was a frosty afternoon when Cole took me and Constance to the nearby grocery store.

I smiled brightly at Cole. "Yes, Daddy?" I said politely.

Cole had an unexpected smile of pure happiness smeared onto his face. "Daddy, just got a call from the hospital, Clementine is awake!"

Constance gasped out of shock, her eyes grew wide as saucers. "REALLY?" She said aloud. I noticed several customers eyeing us.

Cole doesn't seem to mind. "Yep, she is wide awake. Ashley is picking her up very soon." Cole explained. Constance smiled ear to ear.

Cole then pushed his cart to the bakery section to collect baked goods. I gazed at all of the tastefully decorated cakes and cupcakes.

"Excuse me, Miss?" Cole called out to a round woman behind the counter. "I am here for my cakes." He said.

With that, the woman nodded and vanished into the back room.

"Cakes?" I echoed dumbly. "What for?"

Cole flashed me a playful smile and doesn't respond.

The woman eventually returned with two medium sized cakes. She handed them to Cole and Cole showcased it to me and Constance.

The first one is completely blue, in black icing on the top, it said: Welcome Back, Clementine.

But the second cake is the one completely steals my attention. It is cotton candy pink with adorable icing. On the very top, it spelled out: Great Job, Emma!

I arched an eyebrow at Cole. "What did Emma do?"

Cole flashed me a broad smile. "Well, it's going to be surprise for Emma. But Daddy got an email from her teacher. She got nominated for the outstanding school citizenship award."

My eyes widened. I felt so proud for my daughter. "That is amazing!" I chirped. I then recollected myself seeing posters of the event in school. With all of the chaos occuring at home, I have long forgetten about it.

Ever since Emma revealed her accomplisments to Mrs. Hicks, Emma became the apple of Mrs. Hicks's eye. So her nominating her wasn't shocking.

"Emma is going to be very happy about this!" Cole gushed. With that, Cole pushed the cart deeper into the store. We found ourselves in the fruit sections when I saw Marerli nearby. She was pushing a red cart full of food products. She dressed in fashionable warm clothes with her hair looking glossy.

Mareli's eyes found mine and she smiled at me. "Hi!" She gave me a friendly wave and a endearing smile.

Cole's head snapped up at her, I looked up at him to see his cheeks flush. His eyes grew man looked like a deer in headlights.

" .." Cole waved back weakly. Marerli sauntered over to us, smiling like an idiot. I observed her delibrately seductive movement.

"Hello, Cole." Mareli said in a light voice when she approached him.

Cole's cheek grew red. "Uum….hey…" His tongue fumbled.

I felt disgust at this moment. I stood next to this homewrecker and all I wanted to do was spit on her. Constance paid none of this any mind, she mindlessly examined the fruit nearby.

I decided to copy Constance's action to prevent myself from lashing out at this cunt.

I had to swallow all of my willpower to pretend to be deaf as I listened to Mareli flirting with Cole with no consideration for the children around him.

"I ended up getting two tickets for some movie last night and I was wondering if you would want to come with me?" Mareli cooed in an alluring voice.

I couldn't help but to snap my head at Cole, he appeared flustered, hestiation glinted in his eyes. "Well...thanks...but no….I...rather not.." Cole rejected. A pleased smile grew on my face.

Mareli was a determined homewrecker. "Well," She jammed her hand into her thick leather purse. She pulled out a slip of paper and a pen. "Instead you change your mind, Cole." She swiftly scribbled something onto the paper and held it out to Cole.

Cole, for whatever reason, took the damn piece of paper without even looking at it. "Thanks." He faltered.

I strongly wanted to roll my eyes at this stupid bastard.

 _How can you be this dense, Cole?_ I thought in my head furiously.

Cole released out a nervous chuckle. Mareli gave him a flirtatious wink before she departed. "Call me!" She called out.

Cole was left smiling like a charmed idiot. As I am swallowed by my intense jealousy, I found an opportunity within this moment.

I had to drive a nail through Wanda and Cole's marriage as much as I can. I haven't been active about that because the marriage was already damaged from all of the events occurring. I guess you could argue, I have already driven a nail through this fragile marriage, but honestly, I did that by accident. I needed to make sure I drive this couple into the path of no return.

Cole was in a rush after Mareli approached him, he rushed to the cashier and paid for all of his items. I pondered on how to exploit all of this as we scrolled to the SUV.

"Had fun, girls?" Cole smiled at us as we climbed into the SUV. I struggled to look him in the eyes. That moment with Mareli hurt me.

"Yes, Daddy." I whispered, trying to hide the sorrow in my voice.

Cole is oblivious to my troubles and drives the car back to the house. During the ride, Cole's phone rang loudly.

He picked it up and placed the phone to his ear."Yep….oh!" Excitement grew in his voice. "She is! That's great!" Cole exulted. He shouted out to Constance. "Clementine is home!" He informed her.

Constance smiled widely. "REALLY?" She squealed. She sounded like a genuine overjoyed child.

When we arrived at the home, Ashley opened the door for her. "Hey, guys!" She beamed. "Clem is home! She's sleeping!" Ashley cooed. I caught a rare glimpse of Melanie and Morgan roaming the kitchen.

Constance didn't care, she rushed inside, making a beeline for the staircase. Ashley grabbed her shoulder to stop her. Constance yanked away roughly, shooting her a cold look. "I need to see her!" She seethed.

Cole intervened before anything could escalate. "Constance," He bent down to her level. "Clementine needs to rest. She needs to be alone for now." He placated. He gave her a heartwarming smile. "When she wakes up, I will tell you. I promise." He vowed.

Constance flashed him a small smile that seemed sincere. Then she squinted at him. "Is it true that Clem has amnesia?" She asked softly.

Cole nodded. "Yep, but we are going to help her out to get her help."

Constance arched an eyebrow. "What doesn't she remember?" She asked.

"Alot, she remembers you and her name. That's it." Cole answered precisely. Constance smiled lightly at him. "Can I go to my room? I won't bother Clemmy." She promised sweetly. Cole shook his head slowly. "No, no, not yet." He objected. "We need to have Emma's little party first."

Constance smiled brightly at him. I decided that it was time for me to act like a jubilant child. "I can't wait for Emma to win her prize!" I squealed childishly.

Ashley chuckled amusedly at me. "Well, Mercy, she's not winning anything yet. She's just got nominated." She corrected me. I was seconds away from flipping off this smartass.

With that, Cole escorted me and Constance to the festive dining room. There were frosted cookies, banana bread, and most importantly, Emma's favorite; hot chocolate and ice cream. He placed the cake on the table with a wide grin.

Despite my frustration towards Cole, I did feel happy for him. This day is possibly the only recent days where Cole actually appeared happy. The poor man has been through hell and back.

"EMMA!" Ashley shouted at the top of her lungs. "COME DOWNSTAIRS, PLEASE!" Within seconds, Emma poked her head out of her bedroom. Ashley feverishly beckoned her to come downstairs. "Come down, today is a special day."

Emma has dressed adoringly, with a cute velvet dress with dark tights. Her hair was neatly combed and straightened. "What's wrong?" She asked as she made her way downstairs.

Ashley doesn't answer her, she kept beckoning her to come to the dining room. Emma appeared perplexed, she walked purposely slow.

I flashed her a bright smile. I felt like a proud Mother at this moment. My daughter is an overachiever and I love it.

I heard a door open and Alyona appeared in my sight. "Come down," I ordered her. Alyona, ever so obedient, rushed downstairs without question. Emma approached the table with Alyona far behind.

Emma's eyes shimmered with delight when she sees the dining table. "WHOA!" She gasped excitedly. "Is this for me?"

Cole nodded. "Yep! You got nominated for an outstanding school citizenship award." He beamed.

Emma looked like she was on cloud nine. "OH MY GOD! WHEN?" She squealed.

"This Friday. Tomorrow. We even got invited to Mrs. Cunningham's party." Cole explained.

Emma arched an eyebrow. "Who is that?" She asked.

"She's a friend of ours. She works at your school, in fact. Mrs. Cunningham is having a big party for everyone attending the event." Cole elucidated. "There will be cake, candy, music, dancing." He added.

Emma grinned beautifully. "I love this, Daddy." She chirped sweetly. With that, the little girl embraced Cole with great affection. I could tell from Cole's charming eyes, that he loved Emma wholeheartedly. The one thing I admire about Cole, is the capacity of his paternal love for all of the children. M and Emma are completely Daddy's girls in his eyes, despite the lack of biological bloodline.

Emma further charmed the man by planting a sweet kiss on his forehead. "Thanks, Daddy!" She purred.

Alyona scanned the area. "Where is Mommy?" She faltered.

Cole's mood dropped immediately. "Mommy is getting help." He said softly. Regret flooded Alyona's eyes, her cheeks grew red.

I felt a wave of relief inside of me. Thank God I don't have to think about that bitch! I thought to myself.

Later, we all feasted on all of the sweets and goods at the table. Emma was bursting ebullience for the entire event. I know she is just obsessing over her missing Citizenship medal.

Wanda arrived home several hours into the afternoon. I was in the living room with Emma, Alyona, and Constance. We all watched a boring movie, enjoying the warmth of the crackling fireplace.

Cole resided at the dining table with his pale faced daughter, Melanie, cleaning our mess. I caught a glimpse of Wanda flashing Cole a resentful glare. Cole witnessed this and resolved to be mature by not responding.

"You had Emma's party without me!" Wanda ranted. "Cole, I said wait for me!" She shot a angry finger at him.

Cole sighed tiredly. "Sorry, Wanda, but I had no idea how long you would be gone." He excused.

Wanda was not having it. "No! Cole, this was supposed to be a special moment between our children!" She seethed.

Cole grew meek. "I'm sorry, honey. Really." He apologized. Wanda swatted her hand at Cole dismissively. She stormed deeper into the house. I knew where she was going; the greenhouse.

Constance leaned in closer to me, her lips inches from my ears. "She's going to look at her stupid flowers?" She inquired in a sarcastic tone. I have long told Constance about the original Sabrina.

"Yep." I said solemnly. For now, I am focused on Emma's event. My children's lives are the main importance for me. I have long vowed to torture Wanda mentally and emotionally, but for now, I only care about Emma.

When Friday afternoon arrived, Emma was beaming radiantly afterschool. I entered her bedroom, dressed in my finest dress and glossy curled hair. Emma stood in front of her mirror, wearing a sleeveless purple dress with black tights and mary jane shoes. I caught a glimpse of Clementine. She flashed me a bubbly smile.

It was surreal to see her awake. I felt such pity for this little tot. Thankfully she has recovered physcially, but unfortunately not mentally. She did not recall her biological family at all, all she knows is Constance. Deep down, I grew apprective for her condition. Now I could easily mold her into my daugther.

Clementine, upon locking eyes with me, began to sign at me. Unfortunately, I could not commuciante with her. I desired to learn sign language for her. I scrolled over to her and I embraced her warmly. I mouthed out words to her as she could read lips. "You look really pretty!"

Clementine flashed me a toothy grin. Her mute mouth released out an adorable giggle. She livelly put on her slippers. Her hair is adorably curled, her light blue dress brought out her beautiful eyes. I felt my heart warmed just looking at her.

Emma gazed at herself in the mirror with great concentration on her appearance. She then grabbed a vanilla scented perfume bottle and sprayed on herself. The sweet aroma filled the room.

Cole drove the whole family to the school, he parked in the crowded parking lot. Formally dressed children and smiling parents were exiting their parked cars. Emma was out first, then Cole came to her and grabbed her little hand. I held her other hand. Alyona smiled at her supportively.

Wanda was smiling from ear to ear, dressed in stylish winter clothes. Melanie scrolled over to Emma with a smile. "This is amazing, Emma. Good job!" She praised. I could tell the girl was still suffering emotional turmoil from the loss of her pregnancy. For a long time, the girl withdrew herself from everyone in the house. But it was sweet that she opened herself up for her foster sister. As we walked, I noticed how surreal it was. No Sabrina and no Sheila accompanying us. Thankfully the family seemingly put on a brave face for the public eye.

Upon entering the school, the building was tastefully decorated with satin ribbons and colorful streamers. We walked down a long corridor towards the gigantic auditorium. I glanced at Emma squeezing Cole's hand tightly. Cole could sense her anxiety. "It's fine, Emma." He assured.

Emma hung her head down. "I know, Daddy." She admitted. The auditorium was wide and open with plenty of seats for guest. We all sat in the middle row. I sat next to Cole and a nervous Emma. Cole looked up at the large stage. The Principal, Mrs. Evans, was at the podium, testing the microphone. Mrs. Evans was a round woman with a stubby nose, she wore bright colors that brought out her blue eyes.

We all sat in the first middle row. Families flooded the auditorium and occupied the seats.

It was 5:30 when the event began. The auditorium was completely full, the stage lights brightened the stage. Teachers sat in the rows of chairs on the stage.

"Hello, everyone!" Mrs. Evans's voice was animated. "Children, today, we are happy to participate in the School Citizenship Award Medal Program. This event is for the model students." Mrs. Evans bent down to get something for a second. When she stood back up, she held up a silver medal in the air so the crowd could see. "This medal is given to individuals with a defined character. A student that shows kindness, compassion, positive towards all, leadership, a person who has the courage to do what they feel is right!" I seized Emma's attention by flashing her a confident smile.

Almost immediately, Emma's mood brightened.

Cole looked at Emma with a confident smile, but Emma doesn't take one glance at him. Cole arched his eyebrow in confusion at Emma's facial expression. Her once joyful face was sealed in a narrow-eyed grimace. Cole knew that Emma was still nervous. "You're going to be fine." He whispered to her.

Emma paid no attention, her eyes are glued to Mrs. Evans.

Mrs. Evans goes on to present a long speech. The speech lasted for thirty-five minutes. After a wave of excited applauds, several teachers gave their small versions of speeches. Emma's hands were folded primly on her lap, she started hastily tapping her one shoe onto the floor.

Finally Mrs. Evans went up to the podium after the last teacher's speech. She cleared her throat and spoken precisely into the mic. "Now! Time for our model student to receive this award," She pulled out a little white card and held it up to her face.

"Marissa CUNNINGHAM! CONGRATULATION!" The crowd exploded with deafening applause. I had to take a double take. I felt like a pile of bricks fell on of my head. Marissa, that little bitch is a model student?! That little cunt torments me every single day! "Wow." Cole mumbled in shock. I glanced at Emma, who was still staring straight ahead. She was frowning out of displeasure and did not clap at all. Wanda attempted to cheer up her foster daughter. "Don't worry, Emma. You can try next time!" Emma ignored her. Marissa appeared on stage. Mrs. Cunningham entered from the stage with a massive smile. "GREAT JOB, HONEY!" She shouted. I then realized that this was her daughter, despite the opposite looks to each other. Mrs. Cunningham was tall with a slender figure and glossy auburn hair. Marissa was dressed in a lime green dress that shimmered, her hair was tied into a neat ponytail.

Emma evoked pity within me. I put a kind hand on her stiff shoulder.

I thought all of the kind words I could muster. When I found the words, I made sure my voice was gentle and maternal. "You will win next time." I assured her.

"Emma!" Alyona's soft voice echoed through my eardrum. She seized me and Emma's attention. Her blue eyes glimmered with sympathy. "Don't worry, Emma. I'll help you find your Citizenship Award." She offered sweetly.

Emma said nothing and resumed her attention to the stage. Her eyes became narrow when Mrs. Evans handed a cocky Marissa the medal. "Great job! Marissa Cunningham, since you've been here, you have volunteered at many community services. You are a proud Girl Scout. You have kindly volunteered at the soup kitchen and has been a very noble student since your short time here."

There was a wave of clapping once again. I paid little attention to the event, and only on Emma. I watched her sweet face turn ice cold. Her stone eyes locked onto Marissa. I wished I could read her mind at this moment. I could tell from her glare that she wanted to harm Marissa.

Mrs. Evans gave another long speech that I barely paid attention to. When the event ended, Mrs. Cunningham and a grinning Marissa approached us. Marissa proudly wore the medal around her neck. I hated the smirk on this brat's face.

"Are you ready for the party?" Mrs. Cunningham asked in a gentle voice.

Cole beamed brightly at her. "Yep!" He gestured to all of the children. "Everyone is very excited!"

Emma then spoke in a polite voice. "Great job on winning that medal, Marissa." She said.

Marissa's eyes widened with shock. She clearly did not expect Emma to give her a compliment. Emma flashed her a friendly smile.

Emma extended out an affable hand to her. Marissa's emotions were shifted at this moment. She gingerly shook her hand. "Thank you."

"Great!" Mrs. Cunningham beamed, she grabbed her daughter's hand and whisked her away. Marissa turned her head to us, flashing me and Emma a mocking smile, showcasing her medal.

"Time to go, kids," Wanda announced. With that, we left with the rest of the other parents. Once we all made it into the car, we drove twelve miles to the Cunningham's house. The family was very well off, living in a massive house deep within the lush forest on a hill. We drove up a black road leading up to their house.

I was amazed by the beauty of the house. It looked like a mixture of stone and wood with two stories and multiple windows.

I almost felt envious upon looking at it.

There were already fleets of parked cars in their large front yard. We managed to make room for the SUV. I could hear boisterous children squealing in the backyard.

"Sounds fun," Wanda remarked to Cole. Cole paid her no attention. He didn't even look at her.

Wanda noticed this distance and narrowed her eyes angrily.

"Come on," Cole beckoned us to the backyard to join the party. The landscape of the area is beautiful, the grass of the backyard is neatly cut. A polished wooden fence protected the house from the thick forest. Within the backyard consisted picnic tables, dollhouses, a large bounce house, and fun games hosted by parents. The children chased each other like morons, squealing and giggling wildly. The adults stared at their cell phones, barely paying attention to their rowdy children.

"Go NUTS!" Cole encouraged us. Alyona broke out into a jovial smile, she darted to the bounce house. Melanie and Morgan isolated themselves and paced around. Clementine was a little firecracker, she sprinted to a group of children to socialize with Constance following her.

Mrs. Cunningham approached the Weiss couple. "Hi, guys," She chirped.

"This is great looking party!" Wanda complimented. Mrs. Cunningham smiled brightly. "Thank you," She then gestured to the backdoor. "Mind helping me with the food and drinks. Josh went out to buy more fruit punch."

Cole and Wanda instantly agreed and went into the house without giving anyone a farewell.

I grabbed a stiff Emma's hand and I tugged her towards the bounce house. The children completely annoyed me, but I wanted Emma to be happy.

But the girl is stubborn as a mule. "I don't want to play!" She whined.

"Emma," I started. But before I could say anything, the backdoor of the house opened. I glared at the sight of Marissa exiting her home. When she sees me, I could see the spitefulness in her eyes. She ran over to me with the medal around her neck.

"Hi, Mercy, Emma." Her voice coated with disgust. She scowled at me. I rolled my eyes, I had to control myself, as there are too many witnesses.

"Uh, I can't believe my Mom actually invited you loser!" She taunted. Marissa then turned to Emma. Unlike to me, she didn't have any animosity towards her.

"Wanna play in the bounce house?" Marissa asked, smiling.

Emma shook her head. "No. I got a better idea," Emma leaned in closer to Marissa, whispering something into her ear. She whispered so quietly that it was incoherent.

Whatever, Emma said made Marissa nod. "Sure." She agreed. Emma removed herself from her. Marissa was grinning ear to ear. Her smile disappeared when she remembered I was near her. "GO AWAY, MERCY!" She swatted at me rudely.

Emma doesn't seem fazed by this and grabbed Marissa's arm. My anger boiled inside of me. All I want to do is beat this brat into a pulp. Fucking bitch needs to learn a lesson! I vented in my head. Emma whisked Marissa across the large backyard to the small exit gate. Immediately, I thought of Sheila. I know that Emma is going to do something foul. Even though I contemplated stopping her, I can't afford to take many risks. There are too many witnesses who have seen me interacting with Marissa.

But at the same time, I had twisted curiosity of the violence that Emma is going to commit.

I followed them as they trotted out of the backyard. The adults were inattentive, glued to the other children or their phones.

The forest was frosty, the ground is covered with a light sheet of soft snow. There was no snowfall and the temperature was slightly cool. I followed the girls making their ways through the snowy forest, my feet are freezing from the icy snow.

I made sure to move slow and stealthy to avoid them noticing me.

Whatever the children were walking to was quite far. The area consisted of trees, mountains, and cliffs. When the children begin to trot up a rocky hill above the deep lake, I knew what Emma was planning to do. I managed to trot up the rocky hill, the rocks and sticks scratched my tights. The children made it to the top before me, when their backs are turned, I hid behind a large rock to conceal myself. I couldn't see anything, so I focused on listening.

Marissa's voice sounded cheerfully dumb. "Wow, you were right. This place does have a beautiful view! I never thought of coming out here! My Mom and Dad always said that it's dangerous out here." She remarked.

Emma was eerily silent. She clearly did not have any interest in having small talk.

Marissa still kept trying to be affable. "I never thought of doing this…" Marissa quickly realized Emma was disinterested. Uneasiness grew in her voice. "What?" She asked.

Emma's voice was flat, lacking all emotion. "Give me that medal." She commanded.

Marissa instantly became angry. "Excuse me? No!" Marissa objected.

"Give it to me!" Emma's voice still remained blunt but gained firmness.

Marissa was not in the mood. "Fuck you, Emma! No! This is mine!" She snapped sourly.

"Give me the medal, Marissa. Or else." Emma demanded menacingly.

Marissa grew aggressive. "You are just like your weirdo sister! I thought you were cool for a second, but you are just as weird as she is!"

It is quiet for a moment, all I could hear is the strong gust of the winter.

Then I heard a shrill shriek from Marissa. "OW!" She cried out in pain. I didn't hear any kind of physical contact that would cause her pain.

Emma remained completely silent. Marissa began to shriek out of pain several more times.

"STOP IT! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Marissa yelled at the top of her lungs. I heard a tussle between the two, the tussle was rough, leading to them slamming to the ground. Marissa was evidently losing as she released multiple shrieks of agony. "LET ME GO! STOP IT! MOM! MOM! DAD!" She sounded like pitiful. Her cries were high pitched and ear-splitting.

I believe Marissa managed to break out of the tussle and she sprung to her feet. "YOU ARE CRAZY!" She screamed furiously. "GIVE ME BACK MY MEDAL! GIVE IT BACK!"

Then I suddenly heard Marissa releasing out a sharp gasp, seconds later, she released out a bloodcurdling scream of terror. I peeked at the scene briefly, all I see is a dirty Emma standing near the edge of the cliff, in her hand, is the Citizenship medal. Marissa is nowhere to be seen.

I smiled wickedly that Marissa was out of my life forever. I almost wanted to reveal myself, but I chose against it. I can't get involved in this. I just wanted to watch.

Emma doesn't seem to notice my presence as she slowly climbed down the hill.

When enough time passed, I decided to return back to the party myself. I made sure to wait long enough for Emma to be there before me.

I opened the wooden gate and entered the backyard. It was almost like I never left. No one seemed to have noticed us. I scanned the area for Emma, but she was nowhere to be seen. When I spotted Constance, I had to tell her what happened.

She stood by the bounce house, watching a jubilant Clementine having the time of her life hopping in the bounce house. I rushed to her, and without a word, I snatched her wrist. "I need to tell you something!" I whispered in Estonian.

Constance jerked startled. "What?" She swiftly switched into her Russian tongue. She yanked her hand away.

Immediately all of my words spilled out of my mouth. I had no fear as no one could understand our tongues.

"Emma pushed Marissa off a cliff!" I revealed.

Constance wasn't shocked. She lazily shrugged her shoulders. "So what now?"

"I'm happy that brat is dead, but now I have to think of how I can protect Emma!" I vented.

Constance remained composed. "Well, since she pushed her off of a fucking cliff, her body is sinking to the bottom of the lake. No body, no proof, there's nothing to worry about." She reasoned.

I rolled my eyes, I couldn't shake off my anxiety. Emma is my daughter, I must protect her no matter what. I need to keep up my beautiful little family together. My mind completely raced with millions of thoughts.

"AHHHHHHH!" I released out a painful shriek when a kickball impacted my chin. I fell straight on my ass, seeing stars.

Constance staggered back in shock. "What the fuck?" She gasped.

My chin twinged with sharp pain. "GIVE ME THE BALL!" I felt sheer disgust upon hearing Ava's annoying voice.

I glared at the bitch. All of my pent up emotions exploded inside of me. At this point, my reasonable side was fading away. "COME AT ME!" I roared. My voice almost sounded like a furious woman. My outburst led several adults and children to look at me. But I did not care at this point. With a wicked smile, I sprung up to my feet and I plucked up the ball. Impulsively, I tossed the ball over the fence and into the forest.

"YOU BITCH!" Ava charged at me furiously. I braced myself for a fight. But adults finally decided to intervene.

"STOP, KIDS!" A chubby woman yelled. Someone called out for Mrs. Cunningham.

My blood ran cold when Cole exited the house. A Mother pointed an accusing finger at me.

Confusion framed in Cole's eyes. "Mercy!" I felt my limbs stiffen. My mind went blank. Ava wanted to make sure everyone knew what I did. "SHE THREW MY BALL OVER THE FENCE!" She barked.

Cole ran to me with concern overflowing through his eyes. "We should just go home. Emma is feeling sick." He told me.

"Constance, get Clem and Alyona, please!" Cole urged. I could feel all of the judging eyes burning into me.

The entire family rushed away from the party, we walked through the beautiful house. It is tastefully designed with expensive items. Sadly, I have very little time to look as we all gathered into the SUV and drove. During the ride, Wanda spoke to me. "What happened back there with Ava?"

I was not in the mood to talk about anything with this bimbo. "I don't want to talk about it," I said sourly. Wanda persisted. "Mercy, you threw someone's property over a fence! You can't do that!" She scolded me sharply. Cole stopped at a red light. "Wanda, come on. Mercy didn't mean it." Cole defended me. I smiled sincerely at his defense of me.

Wanda was not in the mood. "Cole, there is no excuse for Mercy to do what she did!" Wanda insisted.

Cole was steadfast in defending me. "Wanda, it's late. Let's just let it." He urged.

Wanda was stubborn as a mule. "No, Cole!" She hissed. Wanda gave me a stern look. "Mercedes, you are going to apologize to Ava when we get home!" She admonished. My hatred for this woman grew more and more. I gave her a cold look. Wanda narrowed her eyes at me suspiciously.

"Wanda, no! Just stop! It's too late for this!" Cole rebuked.

Wanda rolled her eyes and began to argue with the poor man for the entire ride. Marissa was reported missing several hours after we arrived home and had dinner. Emma and I were seconds away from finishing my meal when Cole and Wanda's phone began to violently ring. "Oh my God…" Cole gasped sorrowfully. "Marissa is missing." He alerted Wanda. Almost immediately Wanda's eyes watered.

I couldn't help but feel glee upon imaging Marissa's corpse sinking to the bottom of the lake. That little brat deserved it! I had to use all of my willpower to conceal my smile. Wanda approached me and Emma with concerned eyes. "Girls, did you see anything?" Wanda asked.

I shook my head. "No." I lied. Wanda squinted. From my little outburst earlier, seeds of doubt have been sowed inside of Wanda. She scanned my face for any trace of emotions. I could see the skepticism forming within her eyes. Wanda then turned to Emma, who showcased a causal face. What she told me next made my heart drop. "Mercy, I was told that you and Emma left the backyard." She probed.

I shook my head. "No, Mommy. I never left." I denied. Wanda visibly didn't believe me. "Mercy," She placed a kind hand on my shoulder. "Mercy, you're not in trouble. I promise. I just need the truth. People said you left." Her eyes briefly flicked to Emma and back to me. "Both of you left the yard and Marissa went missing."

Cole then intervened. "Wanda, what are you trying to say?"

Wanda whirled around to her husband. "Cole, Mercy and Emma were gone when Marissa went missing. The police could question them, you know. I'm not accusing them of anything, I'm just asking if they saw Marissa beforehand!"

Cole shook his head. "Wanda, Mercy said she didn't leave. There were alot of kids out there, whoever told you anything could mistake Mercy and Em for anyone." Wanda glared at her husband with annoyance. "You can't be serious!" She seethed. I managed to sneak in a small smile. I resolved myself to concentrate on further ruining this marriage.

Wanda narrowed her eyes at me. "Mercedes, I am calling Sister Wanda tonight!" She threatened. My mouth dropped in shock, I have no time to respond as Wanda stormed upstairs in a angry haste.

Cole's eyes flashed with worry. He began to shout for his wife to come back and went after her to defend me.

 _ **In the next chapter, Mercy must faces her own demons and face one of her nightmares from the past.**_

 _ **Updating stories, I already have another chapter in progress.**_


	37. The Cracks within the Fragile Glass

I sat on the park bench with my brand new sign language book in my lap. Little Clementine flashed me a toothy grin as she signed to me. "Can you please push me?" She begged feverishly. Constance sat next to me, smiling brightly at Clementine. With the fresh knowledge I gained from the book, I signed back to her. "Okay, I'll push you." Clementine's eyes lit up with delight upon seeing me perform sign language.

It was a pleasant Saturday afternoon. Cole's sister, Ashley drove me and the small children to the park that was 15 minutes away from the Weiss house. Wanda accompanied us but had to drive with us as her driver license has been revoked. I briefly observed Wanda pacing through the park, gluing her eyes to her cell phone. Ashley was engaged in a conversation with other parents in the distance. I observed Emma frolicking the playground without a care. She demonstrated no remorse for her actions and enjoyed every moment of life. I didn't care about Marissa at all, I'm just worried about Emma herself. The police will eventually talk to the Weiss family for information. I have to protect Emma no matter what. I watched my little Alyona, the child I have long-standing fondness for, skipping through the playground. Despite all of the madness she has endured, Alyona managed to retain happiness. I scrolled over to the swing set with a bouncing Clementine. She hopped into a swing with a massive smile. I gave her the strongest part I could give her. Clementine burst out into jovial giggling. Her happy squealing was music to my ears. Every passing second, my love for this child grew more and more. I hoped I could mold her blank memories with happy moments with me. I couldn't just refer myself to me being her "Mommy." She may have amnesia, but I do not know the extent. I don't want to risk everything and tell her I am her new Mommy. I also felt bad for trying to mold a mentally damaged child. Regardless I enjoyed this sweet moment. I would have relished it longer if I didn't meet the eyes of Ava. Ava dressed in a hideous sweater and leather boots, shot me a glare as she trotted to the playhouse. Merely seeing her existence filled me with a special rage. Since Marissa is six feet deep, I formed a new hatred for Ava. I recollected the party yesterday, it was still burning within my twisted psyche.

As I pushed a giggling Clementine, I imagined a torture chamber. Sometimes when I am overwhelmed with my inner rage, I would retreat into my demented mind. A dark room with oppressive walls. A place where I could inflict great agony and misery to all of my enemies. Wanda, Ava, Marissa, Trinity, Melinda, Gabby, all of the men I have loved. Everyone who hurt me, everyone who fucked with me, and rejected my love would be maltreated inside in my chamber. My chamber was their well-earned hell for mistreating me and breaking my heart. I would burn them, cut them, and torment them psychologically and physically. Their miserable screams for mercy are a beautiful melody to my eardrums. I envisioned myself licking the iron tasting blood from the slashes I inflicted on them.

I closed my eyes briefly to allow myself to be submerged into my mind. I could hear all of those I despise screaming. All of them bounded, tied up, and gagged. Crying and screaming for mercy. My evil laughter echoed through my mind as I violently lash out at them.

When I opened my eyes, me and Ava's eyes met. She glared down at me from the top of the playhouse. I could tell she strongly disliked me. She wasn't much of a bully like Marissa, but from her glare at me, she loathed me as much as I loathed her. To psyche her out, I smiled wickedly at her and winked. Ava's eyes widened with alarm, before resuming her glare. The stupid brat broke off her sight on me and resumed playing with the other children. I wanted to stalk her so much. I wanted to torment her for making a fool out of me. I ceased my pushing of Clementine as my desire overcomes my senses. I had to do something to this brat! I had to do something to show her that I am not the one to be fucked with! When I took a step forward, Clementine snatched up my wrist to stop me. I yanked my wrist away startled. I looked down to see her disappointed frown. "No! No! I want to push you next!" She signed feverishly.

I giggled amusedly. I found this moment so charming and sweet. But my mind was resolved to harming Ava.

I signed to her slowly. "I want to walk around the park very quickly. Constance can push you until I come back." I told her.

Thankfully this child is an easygoing child, she doesn't showcase stubbornness and complied. She sweetly signed to me. "Okay, but when you come back, I really want to push you next!" She insists. With that, Clementine bolted to Constance, her hyper feet kicking up clumps of snow. I felt my heartwarming in my freezing chest.

I made my way to the playhouse, scanning the area for Ava. I desired to leave a permanent scar on her young mind. When I climbed the steps into the playhouse, a little squealing girl bumped into me, nearly knocking off my feet. The little girl doesn't fall down and darted out of the playhouse, squealing her head off like an idiot.

"Stupid brat!" I whispered harshly.

I caught a glimpse of Ava climbing to the very top of the playhouse. I could feel something fierce brewing within me. An ireful and blazing sensation boiled within my chest. I crept slowly to follow her.

"Little bitch fucked with the wrong person." I felt like a predator and she is my mindless prey.

We were completely alone on the top floor, the stupid children frolicked and chased each other below.

I believed Ava seemed to have sensed me. She never turned around, but she moved ever so slowly. Like an animal slowly and cautiously moving away from danger. She could tell that a threat was looming near her, but she was too afraid to approach it.

I kept my breathing quietly as I stalked her. The little bitch made her way to a silver slide. I could hear her harsh breathing. When I saw my opportunity, I could not help myself. I remembered Gabby, another bitch who fucked with me.

With adrenaline rushing through my body, I began to charge at the child. My feet thundered, a fierce scream escaped my throat, I extended out the both of my hands. Ava spun around with a startled gasp, but it was too late. I shoved the little cunt clear off the playhouse.

I watched her leg collided with the slide, snapping immediately on impact. It was so quick that she couldn't scream. She plummeted to the ground, sobbing her heart out.

I smiled wickedly down at her, all of my pride flourished within me. I felt empowered by this. Finally, for once I had complete control. I felt like no one could fuck with me.

Then I met the eyes of two of my daughters.

A speechless Alyona and a shocked Clementine. Alyona stood in the far left and Clementine in the far right. Both looked up at me simultaneously.

Without thinking, I whirled around and sprinted away from the scene. As I scurried away, Ava finally began to scream at the top of her lungs. "OWWWW! OWWWW! MY ARM! MY LEG! OWWWW! I THINK I BROKE IT! MOM!" She screeched hysterically.

Her screams increased my pride. Despite the unlikely witnesses, I felt like I was untouchable. I couldn't find it in me to care.

I exited the playhouse from the back and I began to nonchalantly pace around the playground. Ava's shrill screams echoed throughout the park, her screams were so bloodcurdling that many of the children stopped playing. Adults swarmed the girl, trying to comfort her. I heard a woman announcing that she is calling her Father and another woman announced she is calling 911.

My smile grew wider and wider as her screaming escalated. She faced the blistering revenge of Alanna Petrov. Just like all of my enemies before her, she deserved all of the misery and agony I inflicted onto her. Do not fuck with me and I will not fuck with you!

"MERCY!" My heart skipped a beat, instantly all of my pride suppressed. I spun around to see a scathing Alyona approaching me. Anger flashed in her deep blue eyes, she displayed a sharp scowl. "Mercy, why did you do that?" She demanded.

I felt slight fright at this moment. Her demeanor is such a gentle soul that when she is angry, she is intimidating.

I shrank when Alyona took a small step closer to me. She gave me a quite withering stare. "Why did you push her? You broke her leg, Mercy!"

My lips fumbled. I managed to compose myself, pushing back all of my fright. "Alyona, we were just playing. Playing tag. Then she fell." I lied.

Alyona's eyes flashed with skepticism. "But why did you just run away? Why didn't you help her?" She probed me.

I made sure my voice was shaky. "Because I was scared. I didn't want to get trouble." My luck only worsened when a curious Clementine discovered us.

Immediately she signed to me with a curious glint in her beautiful eyes. "What happened?" She inquired. "You pushed her down the slide. She's really hurt."

I immediately signed exactly what I told Alyona.

Clementine did not look convinced but did not seem to dismiss my lie. Alyona, on the other hand, seems to know that I am not telling the full truth. "Mercy, Ava is really hurt." She exclaimed.

At that moment, I decided to mold Alyona. I kept my voice gentle and innocent as can be. I included Clementine into the mix and I signed my words."I did not mean to push her. It was an accident. Please don't tell Daddy! Mommy is very mad at me," I had to pull on the girls' heartstrings. Alyona's eyes softened, I could see her concern for me growing. Clementine paid great attention to my fingers. "Mommy is thinking about taking me away!" Clementine's mouth dropped.

Alyona's eyes widened with alarm. "Are you sure?" She asked.

I nodded. "Yes! Yes!" I made my eyes water. "Mommy is going to try to take me away because she doesn't like me anymore. I'm trying to not to make her mad." Yes, I am manipulating my beloved Alyona and a mentally disabled child. But I have to protect my freedom.

Alyona bit her lower lip. She was immediately wrapped around my finger. "Okay, okay. I won't tell." She promised. Clementine and Alyona exchanged a look and nod accordingly.

Clementine signed to me with a sweet smile. "Hopefully Mrs. Weiss won't be angry anymore. I will not tell anyone." Childishly, she pretended to zip her mouth closed. She flashed me a playful smile. "Can we all play now? Please?" Clementine begged.

I beamed and nodded swiftly. Happiness overflowed through me. Two of my beloved daughters are still on my side and that's all that matters.

"MERCY!" Just as I and the girls made it to the monkey bars, I am met with the disgusting sight of a smiling Wanda. She doesn't seem to suspect me, but she was still an annoying presence.

"How are you girls doing?" She asked us in a light mood. Alyona shrank upon seeing Wanda, sweat ran down her brow. "Um...hi, Mommy.." She croaked nervously.

Wanda's anger towards me from yesterday has disappeared. She maintained her suspicion toward me, but she still harbored maternal love for me. "Want me to push you on the swing set?"

I opened my mouth to reject her offer when I saw a great opportunity pacing in the distance. A well-timed convenience blessed me with her presence.

I deliberately didn't answer her and I averted my eyes to look at Mareli. Wanda noticed this in confusion and turned to her head to see my source of curiosity.

The woman stirred uncomfortably. "Um...Mercy, what are you looking at?"

I pretended to be naive. "Sorry, Mommy." I bit my lower lip in timidity. "I just saw that woman before."

Wanda looked at me with an arched eyebrow. "Where?"

"At the store. Daddy was talking to her," I said bluntly.

Shock flashed in her eyes. "Oh! Really?" Wanda breathed, sourness grew on her tongue. "Does she have a name?" She locked her suspicious eyes into me.

"Mareli. She's a nurse."

Wanda blinked. "Oh…..well...what did Daddy say to her?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I forgot. But...she asked him to go to the movies with her. She gave him a piece of paper." I acted dumb. "Did you think she is some businesswoman? Is she a friend of Daddy's?"

Wanda doesn't answer me, instead, she looked over her shoulder. Mareli was too occupied chattering with a young mother with a little boy. She stood in Wanda's line of sight, giggling and chattering without a care.

I could tell I have sowed seeds of jealousy into this woman.

"Well, um….no. She's not a friend of Daddy. As far as I know." She mumbled bitterly. I smiled dumbly.

"Never mind, Mommy. I rather play with Clem and Aly!" I chirped.

Wanda lost complete interest in me. All of her attention was on Mareli. "I'll be right back." She said, not looking at me. With that, she hurried to the direction of the homewrecker. I snickered under my breath at this petty woman. But at the same time, I could relate to Wanda on a certain level. If Cole were to cheat on me, he would face more than an angry wife.

I'm not sure if Mareli saw Wanda, but the woman left the park the second Wanda walked towards her. I relished the damage I have inflicted on their marriage. I needed to do more and more.

When Ashley took everyone home, I immediately resolved myself to search for the piece of paper. Cole was at work, so he was safe from his wife as of now.

I scurried up the stairs to spill into the Master bedroom to search for that damn slip of paper.

Wanda was downstairs, fixing up dinner. Ashley has left to go home, leaving all of us with this woman.

I was alone in the Master bedroom, digging through draws and looking into every inch of this house. "Where is it?" I hissed.

"Come on! Come on!" I whispered angrily. I found nothing for a long time.

"Fuck!" I hissed in anger. I felt like such a failure at this moment. If Wanda questions the man about his unfaithfulness, Cole will have no evidence against him!

Cole arrived home to a cold Wanda. "Hi, Honey." He chirped walking to the dining table. "Dinner smells great!" He complimented.

Wanda has taken the liberty of giving the poor man the silent treatment. Shooting him cold glares as she grimly ate her meal.

Cole noticed this fairly quick. The awkwardness at the dining table was overwhelming.

"Mom, Dad, I made all As on my quizzes." Melanie suddenly said.

"Good." Wanda said flatly, still glaring at Cole.

Cole appeared flushed. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Fine," Wanda answered scathingly. "Completely fine, Cole."

Cole bit his lower lip, he knew that Wanda was pissed, but the man could not put his finger on it.

"You seem pretty mad." Cole insisted. "Did something happen?"

Wanda shot Cole a blistering glare. The tension grew tighter and tighter in the air. She gave her husband a dark scowl. "Not like you would care!" Wanda sounded like an immature teenager at that moment.

Bumbling as can be, Cole kept trying to pry into his wife. "I don't understand why you're upset. I just came home!"

Wanda rolled her eyes impetuously. "You always never understand." She snapped.

Cole opened his mouth but Wanda interrupted him. "You can sleep on the couch tonight!" She seethed. Cole looked like a deer in headlights, his mouth dropped in shock. "But...but." He stammered. But Wanda already made up her mind.

Cole eventually realized that his wife was intractable at this point. He turned to his children and smiled faintly. "How was your day?" Cole asked me.

I smiled innocently. "It was fine," I said mildly. I ate my meal in silence.

I caught Wanda taking a glance at me. "Cole, you know Miss. Butler?" She suddenly asked Cole.

Cole was caught off guard. "Huh?"

Wanda narrowed her eyes bitterly. "Miss. Butler! Jennifer Butler!" She reminded him.

"What about her?" Cole inquired.

Wanda eyed me suspiciously. My blood ran cold. "She told me that she pushed Ava off of the playhouse at the park." She stated.

I caught a glimpse of Alyona growing rigid with fright for me.

Wanda narrowed her eyes at me.

Cole doesn't appear convinced. "Are you sure?"

Wanda looked at Alyona. "Did she?" She probed.

"She slipped." Alyona lied, her voice shook.

Wanda squinted at her. "Are you sure? Because Miss. Butler was certain that Mercy pushed her." She urged.

Alyona bit her lower lip nervously. "I promise, Ava slipped. I saw it. Ava and Mercy were playing in the playhouse. She slipped and fell down."

I was impressed by Alyona's lies. Wanda gave up on Alyona and looked at Clementine. The woman signed to her. "Did she push her?"

Clementine's eyes hardened with determination. Her lips were a thin line and her cheeks were puffy. She shook her head in denial and she firmly signed. "She slipped! I was there too! And she slipped!" She concluded.

Wanda arched an eyebrow when she turned her head to Emma and Constance.

"I didn't see anything," Constance admitted truthfully. Emma nodded accordingly. "I wasn't there either." She revealed.

Cole chimed in. "See? Mercy and Ava were playing and she slipped. That's plausible. It's winter, snowy time. Maybe there was some ice in the playhouse, Ava stepped on it and slipped. Accidents happen." He reasoned.

Wanda shook her head. "Cole, last time I checked, you were not there!" She snapped. Wanda swatted a dismissive hand. "Doesn't matter, I'm going to contact Sister Wanda about Mercy's behavior!"

I struggled not to glare at this bitch. I couldn't tell if she was serious or she was just bluffing.

Cole grew some balls. "You were there, so what did you see?" He said sharply.

Wanda shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't see anything," Her eyes boiled with bitterness. "I was just told whatever by Miss. Butler. She called Ava's parents and told me everything." She defended. Wanda then resumed her silent treatment. "I am finished with dinner. There's some cake left for dessert." Wanda announced without looking at Cole. Bitterly, she left the table and hurried upstairs.

Cole chewed his food slowly, pondering what exactly he did to anger his wife. "I'll be back, kids." Cole declared, getting from the table. He rushed upstairs and into the Master bedroom.

Almost immediately once the bedroom door closed, I could hear Wanda's ireful voice. "WHO IS MARELI, COLE?" She shouted angrily. I could not hear Cole's response, Wanda's voice boomed throughout the house. "TELL ME WHO SHE IS! WHO IS SHE?" She seethed.

Cole's voice became clearer eventually. "Wanda, there is nothing going on! You have more things to worry about!" His voice is sharp and defensive. "Fine, I'll sleep on the couch!" He hollered. Then he exited the bedroom and closed the door behind him.

I was left fuming with rage. A burning rage boiling inside of me. I had to show Wanda that I was not the one to be trifled. I will not be threatened by her!

 _ **Next chapter will come soon. Currently working on the Avenging, Laura, Infection, Aishi, and so on. Leave reasons and thoughts.**_


	38. The Fallout part 1

I have long learned that Wanda did call Sister Wanda, telling her all of the concerns she had about my abnormal behavior. Wanda informed me that Sister Wanda would be in this home within very soon. (She didn't tell me the exact date, but Sister Wanda would come a full week later.). I was simmering with rage, in the quiet afternoon, I delicately brushed little Emma's hair to keep my nerve.

Emma examined herself in the mirror, flashing smiles at her reflection. She was an adorable sight to see. You would never think of her dark and twisted mind inside of her innocent shell.

"Hi, Emma." Wanda walked into the bedroom with a laundry basket. "I need to get all of the clothes, anything you want for dinner?" Wanda asked softly.

I caught Emma flashing Wanda a flat expression before forging an innocent mask. "I really like your pasta. Or even baked potatoes."

Wanda flashed Emma a loving smile. "Sure, sweetie." She said.

Then Wanda began to collect clothes from the dressers. There were three dressers in the room total. Emma had both of them awhile Clementine had one. Wanda collected all of Clementine's pint-sized clothes first before heading towards Emma's.

That's when I realized Emma's eyes flickering to one of the top draws with alarm.

"Mommy, can I do my own laundry?" Emma pleaded.

"No. I'll do it. You need to just relax." objected Wanda.

I remained quiet, not wanting to stir trouble yet. When Wanda headed to the dresser, she immediately reached for the top draw, causing Emma to grow rigid.

When Wanda pulled out the draw, she began to chuckle amusedly. "Why are you looking so weird?"

Emma composed herself. "No reason, Mommy." She said politely. A reassuring smile was printed onto her face.

Wanda then collected all of the folded clothes, when she removed one baby blue dress, I am met with the sight of the stolen medal.

Wanda grabbed the medal in utter silence. "Em, um….." She held up the medal to her face to examine it. "This is Marissa…." Bewilderment flashed in her eyes when she looked at Emma.

Oh shit. I thought in my head.

Emma looked like a deer in headlights. "Marissa gave it to me." She lied precisely.

Wanda appeared skeptical. "But why? Why didn't you tell me or Cole about it?"

Every word that spew out of Emma's mouth was gentle and deceptive. "Me and Marissa were playing together. She gave me the medal and then she disappeared.." Her voice trailed off. Her eyes began to water.

Wanda still did not appear convinced. "Emma," Her voice grew urgent. "Marissa is missing. Where were you?" The tension in the air immediately tightens.

"We were playing….in the forest...but we didn't go far. Marissa gave me the medal. Then she wanted to play a game with me." Emma lied.

Wanda's eyes kept glancing to the medal with suspicion. "What game?"

"Hide and seek. It was similar to it. Marissa called it "Find the Medal." Where someone wears the medal and you have to find the other person."

Wanda then glanced at me, all I could see in her face was confusion and suspicion. Emma's lying is impressive, I will admit. Almost up to my level of deception. Honestly, if I was someone else in this situation, I would be gullible enough to believe her instantly.

"Marissa is gone, Emma. Why didn't you give the medal back to her Mother? Do you know how sad her Mother has been since she went missing?"

Emma slowly nodded. "Yes, Mommy. I do. I forgot to give it back." She said softly.

Wanda narrowed her eyes at Emma, then back at me. "Where were you?" She demanded.

"I was playing with Constance." I lied instantly.

Then Wanda poked her head out of the door upon hearing footsteps. "Cole, come here!" She shouted urgently.

Swiftly, Cole appears in the doorway. "What's wrong?"

Wanda showcased the medal. "Emma took Marissa's medal! Marissa is missing and Emma never told us about the medal!" She snarled.

Cole glanced at Emma with confusion. "Is that true?" He said in an ever so gentle voice.

Emma's eyes grew big. She seemingly shrank at the sight of Cole. "Yes, Daddy." She said innocently. "I didn't steal it, Marissa gave it to me." She croaked.

Cole nodded solemnly. He then turned to his wife. "We'll just return this to her Mother and that will be it."

Wanda is stubborn. "No! No! Emma lied to us. About a serious situation! She didn't steal a cookie out of the cookie jar, she stole someone's medal who is missing!" Wanda insisted.

"I didn't mean anything. I am so sorry, Daddy." Emma said pitifully.

Cole flashed Emma a small smile. "It's okay. I know you didn't mean anything."

"COLE!" Wanda has had it. "NO! EMMA IS GOING TO BE PUNISHED! TO THE FULLEST DEGREE!"

"Please, Mommy…"

"Do not call me Mommy anymore!" Wanda snapped coldly. With that, Wanda stormed out of the room in angry haste.

Cole's mouth dropped in bafflement. "Wanda, wait!" He shuffled into the hallway in pursue of Wanda. It was short-lived, ending with Wanda cursing Cole out and slamming the Master bedroom door. Cole swiftly returned to the doorway.

His eyes were wide as saucers with empathy. "Emma, she did not mean that! Mommy is just mad!" Cole reassured.

Emma released out a soft sniffle. "Thank you, Daddy." She croaked. Emma hung her head down. "Does Mommy hate me?" Emma inquired.

Cole was determined to make sure Emma is happy. "No! No! Mommy loves you. She is just mad and people say mean things when they're mad." Cole then rustled Emma's hair affectionately. "Wanna go get some ice cream?" Cole asked.

"No, Daddy. I don't want to go out. Can you…..get me some ice cream, Daddy?" She begged.

Cole was enthralled by Emma. "Of course. Sure, Sweet Pea." Cole then looked at me with equal affection. "You want ice cream too?" He asked.

I flashed Cole a broad smile. "Can you get me chocolate, please?" I chirped. Then I tiptoed to him and planted a loving kiss on my love's forehead.

Cole broke out into a charming smile. "Sure, kiddos!" Then he shuffled out of the bedroom.

Emma hopped out of her chair, the second Cole left the room. "I need to go to the bathroom." Emma excused. She doesn't give me time to react as she scurried out of the room. Promptly, I hurried out of the room after her.

The house was relatively quiet. Melanie and Morgan were both at separate friends' houses and Cody was at a field trip to London for two weeks. Ashley was left here to supervise Wanda and the other children.

By then, Cole was already out of the house. Emma galloped down the staircase to the living room. Wanda was nowhere to be seen. Emma was nimble as she darted the fireplace.

"Emma!" I cried when I witnessed Emma twisting the gas key on the fireplace as forcefully as she could.

I sprinted over to her and I grabbed her hand to stop her. "Don't!" I snapped. I knew exactly what she is doing. I twisted the gas key back it's original place. Emma yanked her hand away, shooting me a cold look. "Move, Mercy and go outside." She commanded.

"What are you doing?" I demanded furiously. I made sure my voice is stern. "What are you doing?"

"I don't want a Mommy anymore! I hate Wanda!" Emma snarled. I completely sympathized with Emma here, but blowing up the house would backfire immediately.

"Blowing up the house will not help! You will be caught." I warned her.

Thoughtfulness flashed in Emma's face.

"I hate her too. But you need to wait." I told her. I looked into her eyes, completely devoid of any childlike innocence.

As if on cue, Wanda entered the living room. "What are you two doing?" She demanded angrily.

Emma doesn't answer her and stormed off in a cold haste. Wanda attempted to approach her, but Emma evaded her like the plague. She rushed upstairs and slammed the door behind her.

"EMMA! DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM ME!" Wanda yelled. Her face reddened. I didn't want Emma to deal with this cunt, so I decided to pitch in. "Mommy, Emma needs some space. She is really mad." I said politely.

Wanda whirled around to me with a livid glint in her eyes. "Excuse me? Mercy, go to your bedroom!" She demanded strictly.

I kept my cool. "Mommy, Emma doesn't want to talk. She is really mad." I insisted.

Wanda was intractable. "Stay out of this, young lady! This has nothing to do with you, Missy!" She snarled offended.

I couldn't stop the defiance in my voice. I was growing completely sick of this woman's existence. "Mom, I am trying to help!" I excused.

Wanda doesn't hesitate to ask me this question. "Where were you when Marissa disappeared?" She probed.

"Constance. I was with Constance." I lied.

Wanda narrowed her eyes at me. "Honey, I'm sorry, but I don't believe you. You pushed Ava at the playground and you tossed that ball over the fence. And you lied about it!" She grilled.

I remained consistent. "Mommy, I did not do anything." I denied.

Wanda crossed her arms in skepticism. "Mercy, Sister Wanda is coming in six days, so you better start telling the truth." My anger began to boil in my chest. My mind flooded with demented thoughts. I returned back to my mental torture chamber. Wanda took the mantle of Ava. I made sure her suffering was slow as can be. I imagined myself scorching a skinning knife with a blowtorch. Wanda's ear-splitting screams of helplessness rang throughout the chamber as I skinned Wanda like an animal.

When I snapped back into reality, Wanda glared at me. "You better be on your best behavior, Mercedes." She hissed. I gave Wanda a icy glare in silence. Wanda isn't fazed, she pointed a stern finger upstairs. "Go upstairs!" She commanded. Obediently, I forced myself to hurry upstairs.

It is when Cole returned home with delicious ice cream for me and Emma when I decided to torture Wanda. I grabbed my ice cream and placed it on the coffee table. Hastily, I went to the greenhouse with scissors concealed.

"Fuck you!" I spat into Sabrina's flowers. I giggled wickedly at this action. I imagined how tormented Wanda would be and felt pure glee. I swiftly clipped several flowers. There were six flowers total and I clipped off four. I collected the flowers with a broad smile printed onto my face. I walked down the corridor to find a closet. When I do, I tossed the scissors in there. I waltzed to the living room where Wanda and Cole were. Wanda and Cole sat on the couch, trying to rekindle their fizzing relationship by watching a romantic comedy on TV. Ashley was upstairs caring for Clementine. As I came closer, I concealed the flowers behind my back.

"Mommy?" My sweet accent was charming as can be. Wanda turned to me with thin lips. "Yep?" She said with cautious.

Cole looked at me full of adoration. "What's up, Sweet Pea? Wanna watch the movie with us?"

I shook my head. "No thanks, Daddy." I focused on Wanda.

"I got a present for you, Mommy," I said innocently. Wanda then stood up, she is still cautious, but she still had affection for me in her heart. "That...that's nice. What is it?"

"I picked some flowers for you." I showcased the flowers with a bright smile. Wanda's mouth dropped wide open. "Mercy!" She cried with panic flashing in her eyes. "No!" She then scurried over to me, I ignored my instincts to move. I allowed Wanda to snatch my arm roughly. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?" She screeched furiously. I kept a firm grip on the flowers as me and Wanda tussled. She grabbed me so hard that I lost my footing. Sharp pains shot throughout my body. I released out a bloodcurdling scream, alarming Cole instantly. Cole, being the noble knight he is, rushed over to us.

"WANDA! WANDA! STOP!" Cole shouted urgently.

"DADDY! HELP ME! SHE'S HURTING MY ARM! MY ARM! MY ARM!" I screeched. Cole struggled to pry off Wanda. Her tendrils painfully dug into my skin as she tried her hardest to get the flowers.

"MERCY!" Before I could react, I am met with the sight of Alyona using all of her strength to tackle Wanda to the floor. Wanda lost her balance and the two collapsed to the floor with a hard thud. "LEAVE HER ALONE!" Alyona yelled at the top of her lungs.

"ALYONA!" Cole scooped a fierce Alyona off of Wanda. "LEAVE MERCY ALONE!"

My heart grew large at this moment. My darling Alyona loved me so much that she is willing to fight for me. I couldn't even describe the feeling I experienced at this moment.

"Mercy!" Then Constance rushed downstairs. "What happened?" She hurried over to my aid. I dropped the flowers to the floor, almost instantly, Wanda threw herself at the flowers with tears flowing.

"OH MY GOD, NO! NO!" She wept brokenly. "NO!"

Cole struggled to remain calm. "Wanda, calm down. Mercy was trying to be nice." Wanda slapped the floor with fury. "NO! SHE KNEW WHAT THESE FLOWERS MEANT TO ME! I TOLD HER ABOUT SABRINA! AND SHE FUCKING CUT THEM! SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WAS DOING!" She sobbed heavily.

I grabbed the arm she pulled roughly on and I sobbed loudly. "My arm hurts! It really, really hurts!" I croaked.

Cole continued to try to placate his wife. "Wanda, you're scaring the kids. Please." He begged. Wanda ignored Cole and looked at Alyona. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?" Her eyes flickered to Alyona and me. "SHE ATTACKED ME! SHE ATTACKED ME!" She glared at Alyona, pointing a furious finger at her. "What is wrong with you?"

Alyona bit her lower lip, her eyes were watery. "YOU WERE HURTING MERCY!" Alyona shot out, her face grew red.

Wanda sprung to her feet and focused all of her rage onto me. I pretended to be fearful. "STAY AWAY FROM ME!" I shrieked, I bolted to the staircases, like a frightened little girl. I screamed my head off as I ran upstairs. Ashley emerged out of Clementine's room with alarmed eyes. She immediately bypassed me and rushed downstairs. "WHAT IS HAPPENING?" Ashley demanded. But it was futile, Wanda and Cole were engaged in a screaming match. Alyona slipped out of Cole's grip and sprinted upstairs, crying her heart out. "MERCY! MERCY!" Alyona wept running after me. I stopped in my tracks and I let Alyona throw herself into my arms. I embraced my brave little girl with great affection. I was so charmed that genuine tears flowed down my cheeks.

"WANDA, NO!" Then I heard the thundering footsteps of Wanda storming up the stairs. "MERCY! ALYONA!" I caught one look at her and admittedly I was slightly scared. Her face, beet red, her teeth clenched, she was shaking with anger. Her eyes boiled with fury and aggression. She was running on complete intense emotions. Swiftly, I yanked a tearful Alyona into her bedroom as it was closest. I pulled her so hard that we both spilled onto the floor. I scrambled off of the floor to close the door, but Wanda appeared in the doorway, livid as hell.

I could tell she was ready to go apeshit. She jammed herself into the bedroom, with the frantic shouting of Cole and Ashley nearby. She slammed the door behind her and locked it, trapping us inside.

"WANDA! STOP!" Cole cried.

Wanda ignored Cole and yanked off her belt. "PULL DOWN YOUR PANTS," She showcased the belt with a cold look. "NOW! NOW! BOTH OF YOU!"

I became defiant. I will not be intimidated by this bitch. "NO!" I blurt out.

Almost instantly, Wanda swung at me, slapping the side of my right leg. Sharp pain grew in my right leg. The slap was so painful that I fell to the floor onto my stomach.

"MERCY!" Alyona shrieked.

"YOU STAY RIGHT THERE, QUARTERBACK!" Wanda yelled. "You're next!" She added furiously.

There was frantic banging and pounding on Alyona's bedroom door. But no one could help me. Within seconds, the once loving and kind woman began to violently whip my rear. Every single whip was more painful than the last. I released out a shrill shriek upon each agonizing blow. I could feel blood dripping down my bruising skin. Today, I chose to wear a red dress with red tights so you couldn't tell. I have no idea how many times Wanda hit me. I would like to say more than ten times. When she finally stopped, I felt like hell was scorching my ass. I burst out into hysterical tears from the pain. I was in too much pain to move an inch. Helplessly, I watched Wanda do the same to Alyona. Unlike me, Alyona pulled down her skirt and allowed Wanda to whip her rear with the same amount of force she gave me. Alyona's shrill screaming of pain sparked more and more flames inside of me. She hit the poor child nine times in total. Alyona leaped onto her bed, breaking down into broken tears.

"YOU TWO'S DAYS HERE WILL BE VERY NUMBERED! YOU THINK YOU CAN TACKLE ME AND ACT LIKE A BUNCH OF SAVAGES! I CLOTHED YOU AND FEED YOU TWO! HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO ME?" I used all of my willpower to defend myself and my little angel. All of my emotions exploded. "NO!" I yelled over the frantic yelling of Cole and Ashley. "YOU'RE THE SAVAGE ONE!" I shrieked furiously. "YOU NEARLY KILLED US ALL! YOU DROVE INTO A POND!"

SLAP! I am met with a resounding slap across the face. It was so hard that I fell right back to the floor.

"STOP!" Alyona sniveled brokenly. She was crawled up into a pitiful ball. Wanda whirled around to her with a beastly look. "STAY OUT OF THIS!" She roared. She raised her mightly belt, I didn't know if the belt was for me or for Alyona, but I lost all self-control at this moment. I leaped to my feet and I lunged at Wanda, baring my teeth. Before I know it, I buried my teeth into Wanda's free hand.

I bit on Wanda's skin as hard as I could, her blood dripped into my mouth. I was like a savage animal clenching it's jaw into my prey's flesh. Hysterical, Wanda released out a ear-splitting scream of agony. She dropped the belt and shoved me off of her. I fell face down onto the floor.

"WANDA, I WILL CALL THE POLICE! GET OUT OF THE ROOM! NOW! NOW!" Ashley warned.

This seemingly made Wanda snap back into reality. Her bitten hand was profusely bleeding as she jerked the door open and sprinted pass Ashley and Cole.

"FUCK YOU BOTH!" Wanda hollered brokenly, tears rushed down her cheeks. Ashley rushed into the bedroom and came to Alyona's aid. "OH MY GOD!" She cried.

Cole ran to me and scooped me up. I felt so special at this moment.

"Are you okay?" He asked me frantically.

I broke down into tears and I embraced him. "EVERYTHING HURTS, DADDY!" I sniveled. Cole rocked me back and forth as he whispered kind words into my ear.

The house grew silent when Wanda loudly slammed the door as she left the house.

 _ **Next chapter will come. I am currently working on the Aishi Family and my other stories. Reviews and thoughts.**_


	39. The Fallout Part 2

"Mercy? Mercy, are you okay?" I did my hardest to ignore the concerned voice of Alyona. I sequestered myself in my bedroom closest, my knees up to my chin, my muscles quivering like a leaf. I felt like a frightened child, hiding from the imaginary monster.

Alyona doesn't care about my purposeful silence to her incessant calling. She possessed an unwavering spirit. Our bond is resolute and she is adamant on staying by my side. "Please, Mercy, everything is going to be okay. Emma and Clementine want to play with you!"

I kept silent. My mind was swimming with terrifying thoughts. Within seconds, Sister Wanda will enter my domain. She is a prominent figure in my life. Whatever she says goes. I recalled Wanda's irresponsible behavior. From crashing the damn car into a pond in an intoxicated state to brutally beating me and Alyona, to roughly grabbing me and slapping me.

Realistically, any social worker would instantly strip away the child away from the dangerous household. But in my case, I can't afford to leave this home.

Alyona persisted. She knocked lightly on the closet door. "Mercy, Mercy, please. Come out. Nothing bad is going to happen! I promise." She reassured me. Alyona's voice grew sharp with determination. "I am not leaving your side, Mercy! Everything will be fine! We're family, Mercy! Nothing bad will happen!"

I decided to listen to Alyona. Hiding in this closet will do me no good. I forced myself to stand on my unsteady legs, my entire body felt heavy. I trudged to the door and I unlocked it. When I opened the door, I am met with the presence of my little sunshine.

Alyona smiled at me beautifully and embraced me the second I exited my closet. I embraced her back, all of my anxiety regressed and was replaced with euphoria. I was completely enamored by my darling daughter.

Tender tears welled up in my eyes. I pulled away from me and I smiled at her. "I'm fine…" Alyona interrupted me with a firm voice.

"We could do what you did the last time. Just eavesdrop and see."

I felt like bricks fell onto my head. My mouth dropped in utter shock. "Um...um…" I was tongue-tied.

Alyona gave me a small smile. "We just need to focus on not getting caught." Alyona encouraged. Her cheeks grew reddish. "I just really, really hope we don't get caught. I really want to hear the meeting."

I was just stuck with astonishment. I expected this out of Emma, not Alyona. Granted, Alyona is not like Emma in any sense. Even though this was out of character for Alyona, I understood her action. Loyalty is Alyona's strongest trait.

I nodded in approval. If we did get caught, I already resolved that I will take the complete blame for it to protect Alyona.

Alyona tiptoed to my bedroom door, she beckoned me to follow her. "Come on," She whispered softly.

I followed her, walking as slowly and cautiously as possible. We both exited my bedroom into the hallway. There I saw the harrowing presence of Sister Wanda in the flesh. She did not see me or Alyona, she sat on the sofa chair across from Wanda and Cole, both residing on the long couch. The sheer glimpse of this woman sent shuddering chills down my spine. This woman is here to decide to my future. I don't trust Wanda to use her common sense. I desired the presence of Constance, but she has isolated herself with little Clementine.

Me and Alyona huddled by the banister looking down below. Both of us silent, our light breathing is in sync. I felt slightly comfortable with Alyona by my side.

Sister Wanda sat upright, her dark eyes flashed with authority. Wanda is swift to start the discussion. "Sister Wanda, Mercy, and Alyona has been very troublesome. Mostly Mercy." Wanda stated. I observed Cole, stirring uncomfortably.

"FUCK YOU, Wanda! FUCK YOU, BITCH! FUCK YOU!" I roared furiously in my head.

"She lied to me, she pushed a girl and broke her leg, she…." Cole came to my defense. He spoke in a defensive, but respectful manner to Sister Wanda. "No, I am very sorry, but it is very important to note that Mercy confirmed that it was an accident. She has been a sweet angel since she arrived." I smiled brightly at this.

Then Cole defended Alyona. "Alyona is just as a sweetheart as Mercy. She always listens and is just an angel."

I heard Wanda release out a disrespectful scoff. "Mercy has very difficult recently. So many terrible things has occurred and….and...Mercy is….acting out!"

Sister Wanda then spoke. Her voice full of dominance with open compassion. "I am very sorry for your loss." She said sincerely. "I have also heard of the Warner's deaths as well." The firmness took over her voice. "The concerns you informed me are very alarming. Especially the little girl and the push,"

Cole continued to defend me. "She did not push her. Ava slipped and she got hurt!"

Wanda turned to her husband, venom flooded her voice. "Cole, her Mother, Ava herself, and Jessica all said otherwise!" She rebuffed.

Then her tone became grave. "But I have heard other concerning stories about you, Wanda." Both Cole and Wanda grew silent. Wanda shrank as she looked directly into the eyes of Sister Wanda. "You were arrested after driving your car into a pond. You were charged with a DUI, reckless driving. You are facing charges of child endangerment.."

Wanda looked like a deer in headlights. "It was an accident. I was so overwhelmed with grief…" Tears began to flow down her cheeks. "I didn't know how to cope. I was just…...lost…" Her voice cracked with despair. "I would never harm them! I love all of them with all of my heart!"

Sister Wanda was kind but resolute. "I understand. But you did endanger all of the children's lives." She stated.

"Sister Wanda, I have been going to therapy, I lost my license! I can't drive! I have to have my friends drive me everywhere! I am willing to take any punishment from the judge. I know what I did was wrong."

Sister Wanda nodded solemnly. Then her voice grew soft, too soft for us to hear. She spoke ever so softly to Wanda who has broken down into tears.

Frustration grew within me. I thought Wanda would get her karma and Sister Wanda would be on my side.

It was a full minute when the discussion resumed to the original subject.

Wanda's voice was rigid. "Mercy and Alyona has been such a massive issue for me. I think it's because of everything that happened lately. But now, it's gotten worse. Mercy injured a girl last week and Alyona and Clementine both covered for her. Alyona has been having her moments as well."

Cole remained adamant. "Alyona and Clementine were there and they said nothing happened."

Wanda scoffed once again. "They're covering for Mercy. Maybe even Constance, even Emma. They're all peas in a pod." Cole responded by coldly scooting away from his wife. "Mercy and Alyona are harmless, nothing is wrong with them." He insisted.

Wanda shot out her hand that she has long bandaged up. "Mercy bit me! She went berserk and bit me!" Wanda's voice grew high pitched. "Alyona tackled me to the floor like a football player! They tag teamed me basically!" Wanda seethed. "How blind are you?"

Sister Wanda remained composed. "That is all concerning. Mercedes caused very little trouble in the Orphanage. She never got into fights and anything. Alyona is a kind girl that always follows the rules. Both of the girls were inseparable since they met. So hearing all of this uncharacteristic behavior is very disturbing."

Wanda took on a sour tone. "Well, they have been a nightmare for me!" She said offhandedly.

"Wanda…" Cole started.

Wanda was not having it. "NO," She raised her voice. "Just no. It is the truth." She showcased her hand to him once again. "Look at what she did!"

Cole just sighed deeply.

"So Mercedes bit you and Alyona tackled you, correct?" Sister Wanda probed. It wasn't a question. She nodded to herself thoughtfully.

"Well, I am afraid that I have the same sentiments as you, Mrs. Weiss." My heart dropped to my stomach. Alyona stared on with terror flashing within her beautiful eyes.

Cole scoffed offended. "Are you kidding me? You just said Mercedes has been an angel since the day you met her." He pointed out.

Sister Wanda nodded slowly. "I know. And for the most part, Mercedes is a sweetheart. A polite and refined little girl. But…..troubles tend to occur around her."

Fuck! Fuck! I thought in my mind terrified.

Cole sat upright in his seat, his body language is rejecting all of Sister Wanda's words. I could tell all of this was madness for him to hear. "No, no, Mercy did not push Ava on purpose! Mercy would never hurt a fly!"

Wanda grew red in the face. "Excuse me? This bite says otherwise!"

Cole ignored his idiotic wife. "Please, listen…" Sister Wanda cut him off by simply putting up a dominant hand up.

"Mr. Weiss, I need to finish first." Sister Wanda said firmly.

"Before Mercedes arrived at this household, Mercedes had issues similar to the ones she is currently having here. Many strange incidents occurred around her. One incident involved one of her adoptive sister reportedly being pushed off of the playground. Another incident is a little boy from her old school. There was a little boy in Mercedes's classroom that tripped and stabbed himself with a pair of scissors. All of those times, Mercedes is right there. Always. When she was at the orphanage, there were times when fights would occur around her. One incident is when a girl informed me that Mercedes was harassing her. There were a few incidents that I frankly do not have much evidence towards Mercy, but she has been accused and implicated by several. There was a young girl that fell straight out of a dorm window. Mercedes was reportedly the only person in the room. Another incident was where a girl was strangled and her friend came forward and implicated Mercedes in the attack. Now, there was no proof or confirmation from the victim, but the fact that Mercedes was implicated was concerning. But the worst of all was the Sullivan fire. It was arson. The arsonist has never been found."

I caught a glance of Alyona looking at me pensively. I stared on in utmost shock. All of my evil deeds is coming to light at the worst time possible. I never hated Sister Wanda until now. I loathed this woman's existence. Every fiber of my being despised this bitch.

Wanda appeared appalled by all of this, she covered her mouth with a shaky hand. "All of that!" She exclaimed.

Cole, bless his heart, still fiercely defended me to the end. "No!" His voice grew stronger and stronger every passing second. "Half of all of the things you listed all sounds like coincidences. Her adoptive sister fell and because Mercy was there she is guilty? No. Considering the Ava situation, Mercy was playing and she fell." Cole gestured to emphasize his baffled state. "A kid stabs himself with some scissors. What does that have to do with Mercy? Unless Mercy tripped him, that kid stabbed himself because he was clumsy. Mercy simply being at the scene is not a sign of guilt. And now you are accusing an innocent and sweet eight-year-old girl of killing her entire family?"

Sister Wanda looked Cole directly in the eyes. "Mr. Weiss, I am sorry but I am afraid that there is something wrong with Mercy."

Cole shook his head stubbornly. "I don't believe it!" He declared. My heart swelled up with gratefulness.

"Cole!" Wanda became livid. "Do you understand what she is trying to tell us? There is something wrong with her!"

Cole remained unwavered. "No! No! Stop! Mercy is an orphan. She lost her family! She is a little girl."

I felt like cheering for my man. I loved him so much!

Sister Wanda was not having it, she kept her voice calm, but she was resolved in her outlook on me. "I feel like we need to do more research into Mercedes's past. I am planning on contacting her old orphanage about her." She reported. "We need to know what we are dealing with."

"We are dealing with a little girl. An orphan girl who would never hurt a fly!" Cole proclaimed.

"I know that it is unthinkable to believe a child can commit such evil, but…"

"But nothing!" I could tell Cole was struggling maintain respect for Sister Wanda. "Mercy is innocent. Just because random things happen around her doesn't mean she is guilty. She causes me no trouble and is just an angel! For pete sake, she is an orphan! She lost her family, she has been through so much in her life! Now you are accusing her of a crazy stuff! This is insane!"

"Cole, we must know what we are dealing with!" Sister Wanda insisted.

"The hell you will! Your days are fucking numbered, bitch!" I thought darkly. I have taken the complete obligation of becoming the Grim Reaper. I will be the one to end her pathetic existence on this Earth. She is a threat I need to eliminate!

I contemplated what weapon to use. A knife. A hammer. Both? I desired her death to be slow and agonizing as possible. When she entered my domain, she crossed the line. She is now my prey in my territory!

My homicidal thoughts became overwhelming, so overwhelming that I lost all interest in listening to the meeting. There was nothing else to listen to, I already know what I must do.

I slowly rose to my feet. I grabbed Alyona's quivering shoulder. The poor thing was completely shaken by this. I bent down to whisper in her ear. "We need to go!" I said urgently.

Obedient as can be, Alyona stood up slowly and we both retreated back to my bedroom without a sound. Immediately, I put on a overcoat and sat on my bed with a tearful Alyona. I embraced the emotional child warmly.

"Everything will be fine. I promise you!" I planted a sweet kiss on her forehead.

Alyona sniffled. "I thought this family would be different…." Her voice trailed off and a broken sob escaped her throat. I knew exactly what to do, but I had to wait for the meeting to be completely over. It was several minutes later when Sister Wanda finally began to depart.

"I need to go!" I said urgently. I swatted a hand at Alyona, silently urging her not to come with me.

"Why?" Alyona inquired. I gave her no answer and I rushed out of the room and downstairs. I ran blindly to Cole's little office near the basement.

"OW!" I found myself colliding with Clementine. We both tumbled to the hard floor.

I scrambled off of her hastily. "Sorry, Clementine!" I signed to her swiftly.

Clementine stood up, unharmed and signed at me. "What are you doing?" She was dressed in her winter wear, seconds away from going outside.

My words just spilled out of my mouth without forethought. My mind lacked all emotions, only logic. "I need your help! Mommy is going to take me away. There is a mean lady who is going take me away!" I made sure my face was pitiful. Clementine was completely under my thumb, evident to her big eyes becoming tearful with empathy. Even though I love Clementine, she is the perfect helper in this situation. Mute and deaf at the same time. She is the perfect person to be a witness in this crime.

"I'll help you!" Clementine vowed. With that, I wasted no time and we both darted into Cole's office. A small and comfortable looking office with a glass desk, a expensive computer, and surrounded by shelves. On one of the shelves, I saw a hammer.

I grabbed it, imagining me bashing Sister Wanda's skull with it. "Let's go!" I signed to Clementine as I concealed the hammer within my overcoat. Clementine caught a glimpse of the hammer and her eyes began to hardened. I had very little time to wait, immediately grabbed Clementine and I rushed out of the house through the backdoor.

Cole and Wanda were nowhere to be seen. Before I know it, me and Clementine were dashing through the backyard and into the thick forest that surrounded us.

 _ **Next chapter will come soon. Working on chapters for Aishi family, but Mercy will come out first.**_


	40. Loyalty

"Hurry!" I commanded urgently, my fingers wrapped around Clementine's little hand like an iron vice. We both trudged through the heavy snow, icy snow flooded my boots. Me and Clementine bolted through the forest in a mad haste. My heart thundered in my chest with so much intensity I believed it would burst. Clementine, an ever so docile child, did not complain about me dragging her through the thick forest. Her exhausted breathing echoed through my freezing eardrum. I examined my surroundings, there is trash scattered around the area. Crumbled paper, wrappers, broken bottles, and shards of glass that reflected the sun rays. I know what road Sister Wanda is going to take. The main road that leads to the nearest exiting bridge.

When we managed to careen ourselves to the side of the road, it was completely empty. Sister Wanda's car was nowhere to be seen. I tried to divert my dread by buttoning up my overcoat. Regardless, panic began to flood my body to the brim, I felt my mind lashing out from the inside. I stomped the ground angrily. All of my emotions boiled within me. Worry and desperation filled my entire body. "NO! NO! NO! PLEASE NO!" I screamed to the heavens. Did she already leave? No! No! This is not fair! Clementine turned to me, her eyes flashing with concern. Clementine tugged my sleeve to get my attention. The second I turn to her, she swiftly began to sign. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" She asked me.

I felt my heart sink. I did appreciate the compassion of this child. The only reason why I brought her with me was that of her disability and the fact that I need another person to assist me. Originally I did want Constance, but Clementine just showed up at the wrong time. Anyone who saw me must be involved so I can silence them. I would never harm this child, I harbored the same love and affection to Clementine as I did with Emma and Alyona. I struggled to sign back to her as my anxiety overwhelmed me.

Then I heard a slight crunching sound behind me. I whirled around to see a baffled Alyona trotting towards us trying to not trip over fallen branches. "What are you doing?" She asked confused. At that moment, I had to make a dire choice. Me killing Sister Wanda is essential. I can't delay this murder. My freedom must be protected at all cost. This is possibly one of my most nerve-racking killings ever. Any mistakes, any error no matter how small will backfire on me. I have no time for usher away Alyona. My future and livelihood are hanging on a thin thread. I opened my mouth to say something when I hear the miraculous sounds of a car coming.

I peeked at it and I quickly realized it was Sister Wanda's black sedan. She was driving cautiously through the icy road. I glanced at Alyona briefly and felt my heart crack. Her fate is sealed just like Sister Wanda's. Clementine appeared perplexed as Alyona looked at me in confusion. I decided to prepare my plan. My voice was urgent and full of authority. "Clementine, Alyona, we need to scare her."

"What? Why?" Alyona asked me, she took a step closer to me. "We need to scare really really bad. So she will never come back!" I explained. Alyona was still confused, her eyes flashed. "Why? What are you planning to do?" She probed. Clementine tugged my sleeves to seize my attention. I whirled around and wasted no time. "Clem, wave her arms and make her stop!" I placed a firm hand on her back and I gave her a slight push to move her closer to the road. Clementine resisted, shaking her vehemently. "Go!" I said as the car came near. I gave her another push closer to the road. Clementine froze in her tracks, too afraid to take another step. I wondered what was occurring in her little mind. "Mercy…." Alyona started with worry building in her voice. When the car was just five seconds away, I impulsively shoved Clementine with full force in front of the approaching car. Clementine fell hard on her side when her big eyes meet the car, she freezes.

Time seemed to slow down, the screeching of the tires pierced my ears, Sister Wanda must have seen Clementine within the fraction of a second as she violently forced her car to swerve to avoid Clementine.

She was able to completely miss Clementine by two inches but veered violently onto the other side of the road inches away from a tree.

Clementine grew pale as the snow, releasing out pitiful whimpers.

"CLEM!" Alyona was frozen in her spot, utterly flabbergasted by this shocking action committed by me. Sister Wanda leaped out of her car, hurrying towards a miserable Clementine.

"Are you okay?" Sister Wanda kneeled down to her with tender tears in her eyes. Her voice full of compassion and kindness. "What happened?" Clementine could only vocalize out frightened sobs as a response. As Sister Wanda consoled a hysterical Clementine, I took this moment to crept behind her.

Alyona remained where she was. Petrified and terrified, she stared at me with wide eyes. Her young mind could not comprehend what is happening.

When I am close enough to my prey, I raised my hammer to the heavens. Clementine's tearful eyes met my cold eyes, invoking Sister Wanda to turn her head to me. With a fraction of a second, I swung my hammer with all of the force I could muster, plowing into the left side of her head. Clementine's terrified screams exploded throughout the forest.

It was so powerful that the grown woman collapsed to the ground facefirst. Her head made a sickening thud upon impacting the hard concrete. A pool of blood formed around her face. Her eyes were wide open, framed with terror. As I stood over my helpless victim, I felt sheer pride from this. I felt like a goddess!

I made sure I remained completely focused on my mission. Clementine stared at the twitching body of Sister Wanda, shaking like a leaf. I had to move her body before any possible witnesses come by.

"Mercy..Mercy…" I turned my head to see a quivering Alyona. Tears of misery flowed her cheeks like a broken faucet. I tossed the bloody hammer to the snow towards a frightened Alyona. When the hammer hit the snow, Alyona jumped out of terror as if it was a timebomb. I turned to Clementine. "Help me!" I signed urgently. Clementine bit her lower lip with anxiety. I do not give her time to respond as I jerked the child up to her feet. I stared into her broken eyes with great ferocity. "Stop crying!" I commanded, my accent sharped. "Grab a foot!" Clementine averted eye contact with me and obeyed.

Me and Clementine both grabbed Sister Wanda's feet and we used all of our strength to pull her to the side of the roadway we are residing on. "Alyona, warn us if there is a car coming!" I commanded. In order to ensure I had complete control, I shot her an intimidating look. Not knowing what to do, Alyona fearfully followed my orders. She peeked at the road, watching out for cars. I had to make sure that Alyona had no inkling to reveal my evil deed. I had to make sure she was completely under my control. When me and Clementine finally pulled her onto the side, I made the effort to pull her farther into the forest.

We are not far away from the road, but from where we were, it would be difficult for a driver to see us. I released Sister Wanda, her whimpering of misery echoed through the forest. She was twitching and convulsing violently.

I left Clementine with Sister Wanda, rushing to Alyona. Before I made it to her, my foot was caught on a fallen branch. I stumbled onto my face, the fall took all of the air out of my lungs. It is as the world is punishing me for my deed. As I staggered up to my feet, I caught the glimpse of a large shard of glass. I was interested in its size, it was big as an adult sized hand. It reminded me of the blade of the knife. It had a jagged edge that looked razor sharp. An idea developed in my mind. I grabbed the shard of glass and I resumed my run to Alyona.

"Mercy…" Alyona turned her head to me sniffling. When she saw the shard of glass, terror flooded her eyes, she grew rigid with fear.

"Come! Stop crying and help me!" I said coldly. I didn't wait, I snatched her wrist and tugged her to the body of Sister Wanda.

Clementine sat in the snow, curled up into a pitiful ball, crying her little heart out. I am too occupied to feel pity for the poor child.

I stood over this helpless woman. I turned my head to Alyona, my expression ever so cold, my voice ever so lifeless. "You need to help me." With that, I grabbed her limp hand and I jammed the shard of glass into her grip. I gestured to Sister Wanda, urging her to do the unthinkable.

"NO!" Alyona shrieked tearfully. She shook her head violently in fearful resistance. "NO!"

"It's easy," I reassured her. With that, I bashed Sister Wanda's skull with the blunt force of the hammer. A bloodcurdling scream escaped the helpless woman's throat. Clementine's sobbing became harder, she covered her ears with her hands to block out the screaming. Alyona's face reddened with hysteria. "NO! I CAN'T! NO!" She refused. I wasted no time, I swung a hard hand onto Alyona's back to push her closer to the body. With a sharp gasp, Alyona lost her balance, falling on top of the twitching body of Sister Wanda.

"Do it!" I commanded Alyona.

Alyona stiffened like a statue. Her voice grew small and weak. "No..."

I shot her a cold glare. "Do it now, Alyona."

Alyona's eyes widened, her skin turned ashen, her entire body shook. She gave me a silent gaze, her gaze sent scorching daggers into my frigid heart. All I could see at this moment was unquenchable fear. Alyona lost her ability to vocalize, she resisted by merely shaking her head. But nonetheless, she never released the shard of glass in her hand. Perhaps with all of the hysteria and madness, she has forgotten?

Regardless I need Alyona to commit this act, I need her to have a valid reason not to go tell a soul. I did not want this. Trust me, I did not. But I must ensure this situation is in my favor. I loved this girl, I worship the floor she walks on. I cherish her more than I cherished anyone else in this world. But I can't allow her to reveal this. I must be harsh and cold to her to show her how urgent this all is.

"Do it." I repeated, my voice menacing. I then showcased my bloody hammer to her. "Do it now," I commanded.

Alyona remained motionless, staring at me without a word.

I mustered up all of the authority I could seize. "NOW!" I sounded like a grown woman. As if my domineering voice had complete control, I watched Alyona hysterically penetrating the back of Sister Wanda's neck with the shard of glass. When she yanks it out, a spray of crimson spilled upon Alyona's pale face. A dreadful and harsh screech of agony pierced the air. The screaming was short lived and was muffled out by the sickening sounds of guttural choking. Then unexpectedly Sister Wanda managed to invoke enough energy to scramble off of her back, her fingers dug into Alyona's shaking skin, desperately trying to pry the bloody glass out of her hand. Alyona shrieked out of fright and clasped onto the glass, unable to think to do anything else. Alyona screamed the top of her lungs as she tussled with Sister Wanda. She tried to pull away by trying to stand up. Sister Wanda lost all of her kindness and gentleness once the flight or fight kicked into her system. I gasped out of shock when Sister Wanda yanked the glass out of Alyona's grip and swung the shard at Alyona. "AHHHHHHHHHH!" An ear-splitting scream escaped Alyona's throat when Sister Wanda slashed her right knee, she collapsed to the ground with a hard thud. The girl's face and coat drenched in crimson, her injury bled profusely, coloring the snow below.

Now Alyona will never reveal what happened. There is no doubt in my mind that Alyona would rat herself out.

I felt slight remorse for causing Alyona to do this, but I must make dire choices to protect myself. I can only hope that she finds it within her to forgive me. But right now, I must focus on ending this nun's pathetic life. She caused this to herself. This bitch came into my life, threatening my future. Threatening to destroy all of my hard work and efforts to be happy. None of this would be happening if she never stepped foot into the Weiss household. Not to mention, she was planning to contact my old orphanage, threatening to expose my secrets. If I could, I would burn down that bloody orphanage with everyone in it. Anyone who has seen the evil deeds I committed I wished I could eliminate. I am an unfettered soul and I am resolute to remain that way, I am willing to do anything to protect my freedom. It doesn't matter who I hurt, who I trick, who I kill, as long as I am free.

I stood over Sister Wanda, her eyes framed with terror. Sister Wanda was at my mercy, terrified, she flipped onto her stomach and attempted to feebly crawl away from me. She has the pace of a snail and I giggled at this pathetic scene. I imagined my torture chamber, only Sister Wanda is imprisoned within it. I was eager to make her torture into reality. I briskly walked up to her, by then Sister Wanda lost all strength, she collapsed to the ground with a weak sigh. When her eyes meet my cold eyes, I flashed Sister Wanda a devilish smile. With that, I bashed her skull with the hammer. Blood splattered onto my face. I do not stop, with all of my might. I gave her a chilling look, not uttering a word. I raised my hammer with my pulsing heart racing. With clenched teeth, I proceeded to brutally and savagely bash Sister Wanda in the head. Every single blow was full of malice and brutality, a pain-stricken scream would escape out of her throat as the hammer collided with her skull. The bludgeoning took the energy out of me, my breathing became labored and tightened. I gasped for air as I smashed her head in. One powerful blow made her skull make a sickening crack. A sudden spray of blood drenched me without warning, gray pieces of her brain flew out of her skull and onto the ground. Her screaming began to cease, Sister Wanda held on to life as hard as she could. I didn't stop, I kept brutally bludgeoning herself with the hammer. I had no idea how many time I hit her with the hammer when I finally stopped. Her brain was almost completely mush. Clumps of her brain matters scattered onto the snow. There is an alarming amount of blood that saturated the snow around her. I stood over the dead bitch, smiling evilly, drenched in her blood. I had no time to gloat or celebrate. I had to dispose of her body. It was utterly silent in the forest, Alyona and Clementine were still present, but they were silent as mice.

I looked at them one by one. Alyona's eyes were framed with horror, her mouth is agape with dread. The shard is glued in her grip, her hand is slick with blood. The slash inflicted by Sister Wanda cut through Alyona's pant and exposed her injury. A deep slash below her kneecap, it bleed profusely, I could see her exposed pink flesh. She was petrified, planted into the ground. Her eyes spoke a thousand words. She was now realizing that her best friend, her friend that was always kind and devoted to her, the person that she saw as a sisterly figure, was the embodiment of evil in the flesh. Clementine was trembling, her glassy eyes locked onto me. There is a mixture of distress and resentment within them.

I singlehandedly broke both of them in one full hour.

I took one short look at my excellent job. The body of the lifeless, battered Sister Wanda was a beautiful piece of art. It represented how NO ONE is safe from my wrath. She should have never entered my home and tempted her fate.

Now she has suffered the consequence of messing with my future. No one will ever fuck with Alanna Petrov!

I then resolved myself to dispose of all of the evidence. The hammer, my bloody overcoat, the blood on me, the bloody shard of glass, everything needed to go.

"Help me hide her," I ordered the two girls. Both of the little ones were obedient based on fear, Alyona weakly grabbed Sister Wanda's right foot, her injury made her sluggish. Clementine sniveled to herself as she grabbed the left foot, using all of her strength. I guided the girls to pull her deeper and deeper into the forest. I couldn't find any river or lake to dump her body in, so I resorted to just covering her body with dirt and snow. Me and the girls piled heavy snow onto her corpse.

I then grabbed clumps of snow to bathe the blood out of my hair and face. To dispose of the evidence, I consumed the saturated snow. My overcoat was just drenched in blood, but my clothes itself were clean as can be.

"We need to go," I ordered flatly. I knew exactly where to go. The treehouse. The treehouse that I never approached and cared for until now. I needed to hide it until I obtain something to destroy the pieces of evidence completely.

With that, I guided the girls through the forest like a Mother duck guiding her little ducklings.

 _ **Next chapter will come soon. Reviews and thoughts.**_


	41. The Treehouse

Is there a name for an overbearing atmosphere that swallows us? Is there a name for the stillness in the air that crushes you with oppressive tension? As I trudged to the wide backyard of the Weiss home, my mind raced with trepidation. Every thought in my mind contemplated where I could go. Is there a place I could run to when things are irreparable? I envisioned a paradise for me, a world where I was normal. A world where I am not longer Mercy, I am a beautiful and accomplished woman. I imagined a wintry wonderland that is isolated from overbearing society. A warm and simple cabin with a protective wooden fence is my home. I found myself baking sweet goods with my lovely children frolicking in the background. My dutiful husband arrives from work, loving and affectionate, he buries me in light kisses upon arriving home. I serve him his favorite meal every single day, cleaning the house and enjoying the comfortable environment. As my husband works, I care for my darling children. My children are all beautiful and sweet, they love me with all of their heart and I love them. I give them an endless amount of affection and love. I spent personal time with them by homeschooling them and reading them bedtime stories as they peacefully drift to sleep. My life was perfect. All of my horrible events in my life meant nothing anymore. I did not have to worry about the police. I did not have to worry about my violent mind committing evil acts. It was my personal heaven. I am determined to make that reality. I stopped in my tracks before we got close to the house. Both of the girls stopped as well. I turned to Alyona and pointed a finger to the snow. "Clean yourself."

Alyona's eyes bulged and she remained motionless. I didn't waste time, I scooped up a handful of snow and I trotted to her. Within seconds, I scrubbed the little girl's face, hair, and coat clean of blood. Her buttoned-up coat was not completely bloody, only small spots. Without thought, I hurried to the nearby river and dumped the bloody snow. When I returned to the girls, we immediately resumed our walk.

My boots crunched in the snow, the two girls are deafeningly silent. I swear I could feel the scorching eyes of Alyona burning into the back of my skull. I turned my head to the two girls trudging behind me. Clementine's wretched state invoked pity, her watery eyes flooded with distress and her skin is ashen.

But Alyona. Alyona is a dismal sight for me. The child I have once formed a tangible bond. The child that I personally befriended and cherished. My love for her is infinite, when I am near her, I have an emotion that I sporadically feel. A fervent emotion that drives me to desire to protect her and nurture her. I loved her to every single detail. Her lush ebony hair, her dazzling aqua eyes, her tender spirit, merely her existence gave me enough energy to wake up in the morning.

But now I felt like our love was one-sided. Alyona stared on at me with a thousand-yard stare. I imagine myself saying all of the right words to get Alyona to forgive me, but I know it will be harder than that. Now, I needed to dispose of my evil deed.

"Come," I said with a lack of emotion. We approached the treehouse, it towered over us. It was large and appeared spacious with firm wood. Before I arrived, it was Cody's treehouse. Apparently, he grew bored of the treehouse after three months of receiving it and now no one in the household visits it. So in other words, it was a safe place to hide the evidence.

I turned to Alyona and Clementine awhile also scanning my surroundings for onlookers. I pointed a stern finger to the ladder. I needed to ensure neither of them would flee. "Go," I commanded. Clementine was the first to go inside, she scurried up the ladder and into the treehouse. Then a sluggish Alyona and then finally me.

When we entered the treehouse, it was dim and cold inside. I felt the air surrounding us becoming oppressive. My lungs tightened like a vice. I was swift nonetheless, I scanned the area for anywhere I could hide my overcoat. I pulled off my bloody overcoat and I held out my bloody hammer. I then stepped on an unsteady piece of floorboard.

I remembered a piece of my childhood at this moment. There I was small and innocent, my Father nurtured me and cared for me with all of his heart. I was the apple of his eye. Every time I would ask for something, my Father would give it to me. He would have given me the moon if he could. One day, I asked for a treehouse and like clockwork, my Father began to build one for me. It was a small treehouse with a fun slide. I remembered how much I loved it and all of the blissful moments I shared with Father. Getting that treehouse was when he finally demonstrated his love for me and the rest is history. Being inside of this treehouse made me feel so many emotions. I felt like reality was merely nothing, a surreal sensation reeled throughout my body. I imagined myself reverting back into my innocent child self. There was no worry or care in my youthful world, my Father was my everything and my world was perfect. There was no terrible cloud of dread hanging above me and no blood on my hand.

I looked at myself in a small mirror hanging on the wall. When I see myself, all I could see is a monster staring back at me. I removed myself from the mirror and I focused on the piece of board. I bent down and I jammed the hammer inside of the overcoat. Rolling it up into a ball, I proceeded to pry the board out of the floor. I quickly discovered that this must have been Cody's place to stash. Inside was porn magazines and superhero comics. I rolled my eyes at this and I found myself chuckling. I don't know why. Just the thought of porn mixed with superhero comics just seemed hilarious.

I ceased my chuckling and I jammed the overcoat inside. I contemplated ways to dispose of all of the evidence. Swiftly, I placed back the floorboard. Now I had to deal with something else urgent.

When I whirled around to Clementine and Alyona, I found them both sitting on the floor, their stiff backs to the wall. Their knees up to their quivering chins. I have frightened the absolute shit out of them. But as I said many times before, I had to make they say nothing at any cost. I had to bend their little minds to my will. Clementine narrowed her tearful eyes at me, shooting me a betrayed glare. She swiftly signed to me. "You tricked me. You lied."

My voice grew cold, my tone harsh and apathetic. I signed to her with a cold expression. "It doesn't matter. You too will go to jail, just for helping me hide her." I told her. Realization flooded her small face and fearful tears dripped down her puffy cheeks.

Alyona opened and closed her mouth haltingly. I locked eyes with her and awaited her to speak.

It was deathly silent, so silent you could hear a pin drop.

When Alyona finally did speak, her voice was merely a broken whisper. "Why?" Tears flowed down her cheeks. Before I could answer, her voice grew high pitched. "Why?" She croaked.

I narrowed my eyes at Alyona. "You helped me. You too will go to jail, not only for helping me hide the body but for stabbing her yourself." I pointed a purposely accusing finger at her. I shifted the finger to her knee injury that was still bleeding. "You are my accomplices!" I signed and spoke at the same time. "Both of you helped me. BOTH of you will go to jail!"

Alyona wiped away her tears and stared at me in silence. Both of the girls looked on at me with wide eyes.

I promptly spoke to them, signing firmly. "I had to kill her. Because she was going to tell on me!" I pointed to myself as I purposely slowing down my movement. I gave the children a shy look, my voice softened. "You're not going to tell on me?" My voice cracked slightly. "Are you?"

Clementine swiftly shook her head.

"No…" Alyona sniffled weakly.

Silence fell upon the treehouse once more. I became gentle and soft-spoken, I had to put them on my side. I slowly walked over to them, a kind smile forms on my face. I did everything I could to make them feel comfortable. Not surprisingly, the girls are still shaking like leaves in a storm when I sit down in between them.

I wrapped my arms around Clementine, pulling her into a warm embrace. The embrace was brief and I immediately began to sign. "I love you, Clemmy. Everything is going to be fine." I reassured her. Clementine evaded eye contact with me, never once looking me in the eyes. I decided to give her space. Deep down, I know my efforts are futile but I am resolute to try. I promptly embraced a stiff Alyona. "I love you, Alyona." I planted a sweet kiss on her cheek. "You're my little sister," I looked her directly in the eyes. "I would never hurt you. I love you. You have nothing to worry about." I spoke in a slow and gentle voice. Alyona just simply looked me in the eyes and said nothing. My heart sank to my feet, I fought the urge to burst into tears. The forlorn silence was eating me away. I desired to have things to revert to normal. My sweet Alyona being gentle and meek, loving and trusting me endlessly. I wanted Clementine to bounce up and down out of sheer joy, I wanted to see her bubbly smile and her zealous energy. But I knew that there was no going back.

There we were, sitting in the silent treehouse. None of us uttered a word and make any sound. All of us think to ourselves. My mind spins as the silence persisted. I thought of Emma, another person I wished I ran into prior. She has assisted me in killing before. Constance would have been a better candidate. I felt plain stupid for forcing Clementine into this. To be honest, I was only thinking logically. A witness who can't speak and can only speak in sign language. Only Constance was fluent, Cole and Wanda knew enough pieces of sign language, but there are times when them and Clementine can't communicate. Her age was also a factor. Her mind is easier to twist and mold. I never planned Alyona to be involved. She came at the wrong time. I stared at the board I hid the evidence under. Despite all of the negativity, I did not feel remorse for killing Sister Wanda. I am glad that bitch is dead!

Then I heard the shouting voice of Ashley outside. "Girls! Dinner is ready!" She shouted at the top of her lungs. Ashley's cheerful and kind voice stuck out like a sore thumb in this madness. Then abruptly Clementine became brazen. Without warning, the small child roughly shoved her little hand into my face to stun me. She succeeded, making me staggering out of instinct. The little girl is nimble, she made a mad dash to the entrance. I threw myself after her, but the child is determined to escape my presence. Clementine fled from the treehouse and rushed into the house.

It was only me and Alyona. Ashley diligently climbed up the ladder and into the treehouse, she smiled at us kindly. "Hi, kids. Dinner is ready." She informed us. Then her eyes lit up with alarm upon seeing Alyona's injury. "Oh my God! What happened?" She gasped.

Alyona bit her lower lip, nervously glancing at me and the floor. Her words fumbled. "Um….um…"

I answered for her. "She fell. We were playing and she fell."

Ashley squinted her eyes. "Really? That looks like a nasty cut."

I nodded promptly. "Yes," I said bluntly. I stood up, looking Ashley directly in the eyes. "Do you know where the first aid kit is?"

Ashley nodded. "Yes!" She then beckoned us to come to her. She looked at Alyona full of concern. "Can you walk?"

Alyona silently nodded. She stood up and walked to Ashley with a limp. I followed her closely behind. With that, Ashley escorted me and Alyona out of the treehouse and into the house.

 ** _Next chapter will come soon._**


	42. Putting the Odds into Your Favor

"What happened, Alyona?" Ashley demanded as Alyona sat down on the living room couch. I sat right next to the girl, never removing my unmoving stare at her. Alyona stretched out her right leg so Ashley could care for her injured knee. In the background, the Weiss family were eating dinner. The aroma of delicious homemade spaghetti and meatballs flooded the dining room.

Alyona took one look at me and bit her lower lip in anxiety. When she turned back to Ashley, Alyona released out a weak sigh. "I fell. I fell on something that cut me outside." She lied.

Ashley believed her, not seeing anything suspicious. "Well be careful next time. You're lucky you didn't get an infection!" She exclaimed.

Alyona quietened and nodded accordingly. I watched Ashley clean her cut with a damp towel. After she finished, Ashley applied antibiotic cream to her injury.

"What on Earth did you cut your knee on?" She asked as she pulled out the gauze out of the first aid kit.

"I don't know," Alyona said curtly.

Once Ashley completely finished caring for Alyona, she led the two of us to the dining table. Melanie sat at the edge and caught a glimpse of Alyona's injury.

"Oh my God! Are you okay?" Melanie asked full of concern.

Alyona doesn't answer because I answer for her. "She fell down…" Wanda interrupted me, shooting me a cold glare. "Melanie was not talking to you!" She snarled.

I struggled not to glare at this woman. Today was NOT the day to mess with me. I allowed her harsh words to roll down my back. "I'm sorry, Mommy," I whispered politely.

I sat down at the table, sitting across from my darling Cole. Little Clementine sat next to Constance, slowly eating her meal.

I looked at Constance and my heart dropped to my feet. I didn't even think of Constance's reaction to all of this. I do not feel like killing another person. I could only hope that Clementine did not inform Constance of our evil deeds.

Clementine kept to herself, visibly lacking her usual animation. The rest of dinner was silent and quick. Once dinner was over, Clementine hurried to her bedroom in a haste. Everyone else shuffled into their bedroom, leaving only me and Constance together. I resolved myself to tell Constance the truth at the right time. Now was not the time, I had to further ensure that Clementine and Alyona are still under my control. Unfortunately, the only effective way to keep these girls under my thumb is fear and intimidation. I decided to go to Alyona as she was the closest to my bedroom. Before that, I decided to change dresses and take a well-needed bath. I applied makeup to myself and I dressed in a comfortable dress. I brushed my hair delicately and even brushed my teeth and flossed. I gazed around my cozy bathroom and I became optimistic. Sister Wanda is dead, so my secrets are currently safe. That was the main positive in this situation. I am far away from that rotten cell. I could shower freely, I could brush my teeth and maintain my hygiene. I smiled at myself, my once yellowish teeth have become white and healthy from my consistent brushing and flossing. I was free and that alone is an amazing thing.

Hasty, I walked to Alyona's bedroom and I opened the door. When I entered the bedroom, the first thing I saw was the dismal sight of Alyona lying on her side staring at the wall. I wished I could read her mind. I wanted to see all of the thoughts roaming through her young mind. I wanted to know her exact feelings towards me. Does she still love and treasure me? Is our once tangible friendship still intact? If not, is there any hope in rekindling it?

I know I have instilled fear inside of her. I pondered how this will affect her in the future. After witnessing that horrific scene, I know her mind is plagued with trauma.

I felt a powerful force overwhelm my entire body, all of my muscles stiffened. None of my limbs agreed to function. It was as if an unseen force preventing me from taking one more step. Is my conscience lashing out at me? Is it a sudden episode of fear? Is something supernatural holding me back? My throat dried like sandpaper, my heart quickened. Things must be this way even though I loathe all of this.

I stood motionless for a full minute. I was struck dumb and deaf.

I quickly began to berate myself. "Stop being so weak! You need to deal with this! First, Alyona, then Clementine!" I thought to myself. With that, I summoned all willpower to take one more step closer to my distraught child.

I believe Alyona must have sensed me because within seconds, she rolled onto her other side to face me. She appeared to be in a self-induced trance, her eyes are puffy, her skin is ashen. The girl has changed clothes, a skirt and a short sleeve T-shirt.

Her bandaged injury stuck out like a sore thumb.

I had to suppress my urge to be gentle and kind to her and I allowed my coldness to control my voice. "Alyona, promise me you will tell no one," I said strictly.

Alyona is unresponsive. She continued to gaze into space. I forced my stiffened legs to plop onto her bed. Alarm lit up in her dim eyes, she jerked upright and stiffened. "Sto...stop…." I narrowed my eyes at her, like a Mother preparing to scold her child.

"Alyona, you will not tell anyone. Not a soul." I told her.

Tears flowed out of her eyes. "Um..um...uh…" She faltered.

I desperately wanted to know what is going on in her head. "How do you feel?"

Alyona's lips fumbled, her words are shaky. "I….I….feel….sick…" She stammered. "I…...I….." Her voice trailed off.

I placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "I did this to protect us. She would have taken us away!"

Alyona began to tremble uncontrollably. Her eyes quivered. "Why…..why…..kill her?"

"I had no other choice." I said so coldly and slowly.

Alyona broke down into hysterical tears. Without thought, I embraced the child tightly. Rocking her back and forth like an infant.

"You...you killed her….she's dead…..you killed her….." Alyona murmured to herself brokenly. Trauma was riddled in her little voice. Then there is a wave of guilt that flowed through her tone. "I stabbed her….I stabbed her….I stabbed her…" She kept repeating this to herself as if she is trying to force herself to accept it. I found this tragic moment exploitable.

I whispered gravely into her ear. "You know what they do to children who commit crimes?" Alyona pulled away from me, the girl is still innocent and naive. She shook her head slowly.

"They put you in a cell full of people who will hurt you. You will never see the outside world ever again. Murder or helping with murder will get you locked up for the rest of your life. You will never see your family or friends again. Sometimes if your crimes are bad enough, you will get the death penalty. You know what is?"

Alyona nodded solemnly. "Even for kids?" She croaked innocently.

I nodded. "Yes, even for kids. They put you in a small little electric chair. The shock will kill you. There is no chance of survival. Or they could inject you with poison, that kills you faster."

Fear was brimful in her eyes. I could tell I am gaining control every single second. Now I had to play on her heartstrings. "You can't tell anyone. Wanda. Cole. Constance. Melanie. Anyone. They will turn you in and you will go to jail with ALL of us together."

Alyona sniveled brokenly. "I don't want to go to jail." She wept miserably.

I nodded. "Me neither." I said plainly. "I did this to protect us. I didn't want us to be taken away. Just do what I say, Alyona. If you simply do not tell anyone about what happened, you will be safe. Unless you want to sleep in a jail cell and not your warm bed, I suggest you stay quiet." I impulsively embraced her. "I love you, Alyona." I said sincerely.

Alyona doesn't embrace me back, her arms are stiff to her side. I felt my heart breaking. I pulled away with tears building up in my eyes. "Do you love me?"

There was a wave of silence between us. A prolonging silence that sent icy chills down my spine. Alyona stared directly into my eyes, her cheeks grew red as tomatoes. I couldn't read her emotions at this moment.

So I decided to dig deeper. "Remember when we met?" I wrapped arms around the little child. I kept her close, so close our cheeks touched. Mine warm and hers cold as ice. "I told you I would always protect you. I kept the bullies from hurting you. We're best friends!" I coaxed.

Alyona said nothing, but she did solemnly nod.

"Remember Alyssa, how she hurt us? How you landed in the hospital! How she didn't even care? I did!" My voice became passionate as I reminded Alyona of all of my devotion. "Everything I did is because we're family! We're sisters! We're friends! I love you!"

"Yes." Alyona whispered pensively.

"Yes what?"

"I do. I do love you." Alyona whimpered. "But…." Her voice vanished.

"What?" I demanded sharply.

"You….you killed someone…." Alyona mouthed.

I nodded. "I did." I admitted bluntly. I gave her a grave look. "But you nearly did too. You stabbed her in the neck, she had blood in her mouth because of that. If I didn't kill her, your stabbing would have. You and I are both criminals. We're both have blood on our hands."

Alyona wept softly once I said that.

"If I go to jail, you'll go to jail too!" I affirmed. "You, me, and Clem together!"

Alyona seemingly believed every word out of my mouth. "What..what...now?" I broke out into a victorious smile. At this moment of vulnerability, I knew I had absolute control over Alyona.

"No one can know. I need your help to keep everyone oblivious. Soon enough the cops will come and investigate and I need you to lie."

"But….lying to police...is….illegal…" Alyona faltered.

My voice grew cold. "So is stabbing someone in the neck! Would you rather lie to a cop or admit that?"

Alyona shuddered from my sharp comeback. Hurt flashed in her pained eyes. Her dismal state invoked pity out of me. I immediately regretted my harsh words.

Alyona ceased talking and simply nodded accordingly.

Now I needed to get Clementine under my control. I left Alyona alone in her room, her mind surely believing all of my words. I felt so much pity for this child. I clearly scared the shit out of her. But sometimes you must do dastardly things.

I knew Clementine would be harder. I remembered how the small child stunned me and fled. Instead of being frozen in fear, she grew bold from the fear. I needed to make sure she never utters a soul. God forbids she tells Constance. I do not want to have a knife fight today. When I exited the bedroom, I was relieved to find Constance watching T.V. with Emma downstairs. Clementine was all alone. I hurried to the little girl's bedroom.

Just like Alyona, the small child laid listlessly on her side, staring blankly at the wall. This time I managed to fight back the unseen force holding me back. I took in a deep breath to calm my nerves.

I closed the door behind me and just in case the child attempts to run away, I locked it. I crept to the girl and I tapped her shoulder.

Almost instantly once Clementine sees me, she sprung up to feet, frantically the child did a barrel roll to the other side of the bed. It was as if she just saw a monster! The girl fell to the floor with a painful-sounding thud.

I stood in the center of the room, watching her every movement. Clementine scrambled to her feet, tensed with balled fists. The child's bed was 6 feet away from the door, but from where she is standing she is farther away. If she tried to make a run for it, Clementine would have to go near me to get to the door.

I attempted to feign a gentle and calm demeanor. I signed precisely. "Hi, Clementine," I said.

Clementine pressed her back against her wall staring at me with massive eyes. The girl looked like a deer in headlights. Ever so slowly, the girl scooted towards her closet for escape. I continued to be patient. "Clementine, it is alright. I am not mad. I just want to talk to you." I signed.

Clementine responds by vehemently shaking her head. She continued to inch towards her closet.

I felt my patience fading. I was ready to stop the child from jumping into her closet or hiding under her bed. Mommy needs to speak to her daughter!

I approached the girl, my mere presence caused Clementine to be paralyzed. I signed to her slowly. "Clementine, please do not run away from me."

Clementine grew bold without warning, she snatched up a plush toy and tossed it at my face aggressively. The plush toy hit my chest and fell pathetically on the floor. Clementine wasn't going to be easy. She was in complete defense mode at this point.

Within seconds, like a whirlwind, Clementine flung plush toy after plush toy at me to keep me at bay. Of course the toys did very little to deter me. I kept calm. "Look, we need to talk!" I signed.

Clementine eventually ran out of toys to throw and finally fiercely sign at me. "NO! Go away! No!" She shot me a quite blistering glare.

I allowed her words to roll down my back. "Please, just calm down." I took one more step closer to her. That's when Clementine balled up her fists, I could tell that if I take one more step, Clementine would lash out at me. Clementine at this moment was a little animal being pressed into a corner. I was the ever so threatening predator stalking this little doe. Even though Clementine was an easygoing spirit, she clearly could be bold and defensive when she is pushed too far. "Stay away!" Clementine signed to me. "I'll scream!" She then threatened.

I narrowed my eyes sternly. "Clementine, we need to talk. We need to talk now. You are going to listen no matter what!" I continued on. "You better not tell anyone about what you saw! Not Constance, not Wanda, not Cole!" A stern look was printed on my face.

Clementine glared at me boldly. "You're a killer!" She signed to me. "You tricked me!" I am impressed by this child's boldness here. Even though she is terrified, she could still stand up for herself.

"Do you want to go to jail?" I signed. All of the boldness washed out of Clementine after that question.

"No." She signed slowly.

"If you tell anyone, anyone at all, you will go to jail. You will be locked away forever for helping me! You are my accomplice, Clementine. You and Alyona both are my accomplices. If I go to jail, so will you! If you tell anyone, you will be turned in."

Clementine showcased rare stubbornness. "Constance won't turn me in!" She signed with passion.

"Are you sure?" I made a rash decision here. "Then why didn't she tell you about your real Mommy and Daddy?" I quickly added.

From the child's lit up eyes, I knew I hit the target in her mind. "What?" She signed with a confused look on her face.

I felt like I just invaded uncharted territory here. To be honest, I felt uncomfortable to bring this up. But it is too late.

A baffled glint flashed in her eyes. "What?" She insisted.

"Who is your Mommy and Daddy? What's their names?"

Clementine appeared clueless. She looked like she was trying to scramble her damaged mind for memories. When she can't, Clementine's eyes watered. "I don't know." She admitted.

"They're dead." I signed to her. I watched the child's tears flow down her cheeks. "You had a brother too, he is dead too."

Clementine's eyes then narrowed defensively. "You are a liar! You're tricking me again!"

I gave her a cold look. "Clementine, I am not lying. Why are you here then? Where are your parents? Why haven't they picked you up?" I probed.

All of my questions pierced into Clementine's skin. I could tell all of my words were swallowing her up.

She did not move an inch and stared at me blankly.

I answered my questions for her. "They are dead. Constance knew. She always knew. She never told you. She is a liar too. What do you think will happen if you tell her? Do you think she will actually protect you and not tell on you?" I pointed a stern finger to her.

"She will betray you and trick you. Your family is dead, everyone else in this house will turn you in if they know what happened." Clementine was on the verge of tears. Her face grew red as a cherry. I know all of this is cruel.

Clementine looked me directly in the eyes. "What happened to my parents?" She signed to me.

I nearly broke out into a smile. "They all died in an explosion! A big fire! You and Constance made it out alive, but no one else did."

Clementine shook in distress.

I walked one step closer to Clementine. Automatically I realized this was a terrible idea. Clementine lashed out like a wild animal trapped in a corner. It was sudden and I had no time to react. The little girl threw herself onto me, making me lose my balance and fell onto the floor. With the girl on top of me, she scratched and slapped at my face with all of the force and strength she could muster. Her little nails dug into my cheeks, tearing them, making me bleed slightly. I found myself struggling to pry her off of me, but the girl was stuck to me like glue.

Clementine released out shrill cries as she battered my face. Her hot tears fell onto my face.

Finally, I gained the upper hand by successfully pushing her off. I shoved the little one so hard, she fell backward onto her back. I stood over her as anger burned within my chest. That attack sent heat waves throughout my body. I did not expect the child to attack me like that. Tears built up in my eyes, I felt heartbroken at this moment. I truly did feel pity for the little one. I know I deserve this. I know I caused this all to myself. But that doesn't mean all of this is easy for me. If I could change back time, I would. I would have run to Constance and gotten her to help me. I would have dismissed Clementine. I treasured this little girl, she was my daughter. My youngest and wonderful daughter. I loved her with all of my heart. I imagined a life where I seduced Cole. It was a beautiful snowy day, me and Cole are happily snuggling on the couch, wrapped in a warm blanket in the living room. Alyona, Emma, and Clementine all huddled by the crackling fireplace, drinking their toasty hot chocolate. There is a funny movie on that we were engrossed in watching. Our hearty laughter echoed throughout the room. The environment is blissful and warm.

No Wanda. No other children. All of them are nonexistent. Life is perfect. And most importantly, my daughters loved me and I loved them.

Tears flowed down my face. I wished none of this never happened. I wished Sister Wanda never arrived in this house. None of this would be happening!

Clementine sat upright, glaring at me intensely.

I shot her an icy glare back. "Never do that again!" I signed. I took one more step to her, this time menacing. My eyes are shooting daggers at her, my lips sealed in a dark scowl. Clementine reverted back to her fearful self. I prepared myself for another attack. Clementine scooted back to the wall, cautiously inching towards the closet.

"Hiding in the closet will not help you!" I signed in a matter of a fact tone.

Clementine did not listen to me, stubbornly the child continued to inch to the closet. I put on a gentle demeanor to calm the child. "It is alright. I am not mad. Let's not fight." I signed ever so slowly. I genuinely did not want Clementine to hate me. This poor six-year-old child already lost so much. I signed sincerely and slowly. "I love you. I love you with all of my heart. I truly do. Please. Give me a chance." I begged. Clementine raised up her fingers. Then she put them back down and simply nodded her head. I did not know how to take that.

I focused on my reasoning for being here. "Do not tell anyone anything," I told her.

Clementine signed this time. Tearfully the child signed to me. "I won't. I don't want to go to jail."

I smiled at this and felt relieved. "I'm gonna go now." I signed to her. With that, I rushed out of the room full of relief. My body felt heavy, like piles of bricks within my body. I was seconds away from going to my room when Emma poked out her head out of the hallway bathroom nearest to the bedroom she shared with Clementine. I saw a sly smirk on her face, before vanishing back into the bathroom. I did not have the energy to investigate, but my mind began to spin with trepidation. There was no sign of her in the forest. No way she knew what occurred. Perhaps she is smirking about something else? I hope so. I don't think her mind can be easily molded like Clementine and Alyona.

She is smarter, cunning, and devious. Her mind is more advanced than Clementine and Alyona. Trust me, a sociopath trying to manipulate another sociopath is not a walk in the park.

I simply wanted to isolate myself into my bedroom. I wanted to be alone. I wanted privacy. Exhaustion filled me to the brim. I headed to my bedroom and closed the door behind me. Eagerly, I hopped into bed and forced myself to take a well-needed nap.

When I do go to bed, I end up having a terrifying nightmare that still haunts me to this day. It was a good dream at first. It was simply me enjoying a happy day at the Weiss household. It was gently snowing outside, the house was warm and open. Clementine was giggling jovially, happily playing tag with a bubbly Emma in the living room. Cole was baking a tasty cake in the kitchen. I hurried over to Clementine and I embraced her lovingly. The girl did not resist me, she embraced me back, giggling and chuckling heartily.

Alyona, my darling Alyona embraced me from behind, smiling ear to ear. "I love you, Mercy!" She gushed.

I whirled around and lovingly embraced her back, my heart full of euphoria. Everything was bliss. Then a disturbing chill went up my spine. I sensed an evil presence emerging.

Next thing I know, I am met with the terrifying sight of Sister Wanda staring down at me. She was a walking corpse, drenched in blood, her head cracked open with leaking brain fluid. Her entire face is merely a skull with bulging eyes that glared. No longer am I looking at Alyona, instead, she is in the background. Along with my other daughters. Their faces were not innocent and sweet, they were horrified and fearful of me.

The look Sister Wanda was giving me was bone chilling. I wanted to run away, but my legs refused.

"Alanna Petrov, you need to come with me." The sheer sound of my real name made my heart skip a beat. She snarled in a frigid voice. With inhuman speed, she snatched my wrist and began to pull me away. I tried to pull away with all of my might, but she was holding me like an iron vice. "You can't hide forever!" She told me.

Bizarrely, I found myself physically spinning, all of my ribbons, all of my makeup, all of my dresses remove themselves off of me. I was exposed, the entire family stared at me in horrific silence. There were no words to describe how I felt. Rage, terror, and misery all whirled around inside of me. All of their eyes judged me, I was no longer sweet, innocent Mercy. I was Alanna Petrov. Sister Wanda grabbed me once more, I put up more of a fight this time. I kicked and screamed at the top of my lungs. I clawed at her skin with my nails like a madwoman. "FUCK YOU! LET ME GO! FUCK YOU!" I hollered furiously.

I will not go back to prison! I would rather die than go back to prison! I will kill myself before I go back to prison!

Fear filled me to the brim. Every nerve inside of me was screeching for mercy. "HELP ME! HELP ME!" I screeched to anyone who would listen. I began to scream out for anyone to help me. "COLE! ALYONA! CLEMENTINE! EMMA! CONSTANCE! ANYONE!"

But no one came to my aid. Everyone stood in the background, their mouths agape with dread. They did nothing to help me.

"NO! NO!" I shrieked at the top of my lungs. With brute strength summoned from terror, I managed to slip out of her grip. I instantly fled away from the nun, and just ran blindly throughout the house. I attempted to run out of the back door, but when I open the door, I am met with the entire staff of the institution I was locked away in. All of the cruel staff from the Vaare Institution glared down at me.

I opened my mouth to release out a blood-curdling scream. I turned away to flee, but I am met with the sight of the profound image of all of my loved ones dead. I screamed out of horror. All of their throats slit, pools of blood surrounding them. Constance, a grinning Constance stood over the body of Clementine awhile I, drenched in blood and driven completely insane, stood over a deceased Alyona. In my hand is a bloody knife, multiple stab wounds printed into her small chest. I found myself right next to the body of Alyona. Almost instantly, I found my entire body being overwhelmed with grief. "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!" I wailed at the top of my lungs. I cried my heart out, my mind went haywire. I felt like my entire world was crumbling. Alyona's eyes were wide open, looking directly up at me. Seeing her lifeless body made me feel heavy, I could not look at her any longer. I staggered away from her, I then whirled around to see a lifeless Cole, his eyes framed with terror and betrayal. No! NO! None of this is real! I pounded my fists on my head. I knew that I was dreaming, but everything was so vivid and lifelike. Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up, Alanna!

Then I finally did awaken. I jolted upright in bed, beads of sweat ran down my face. I woke to hear soft raining outside. I turned my head to the window to see that it was nighttime.

"Holy shit, I slept through the fucking day." I expressed softly.

Constance slept in her bed, soundly asleep. I completely decided not to tell her anything that occurred. Not going to lie, my nightmare was a small factor in this decision, Constance, Tatiana, is as violent and demented as me. And knowing how I react to certain things, I know Constance will not be happy with me. I am not afraid of Constance in any way, but I rather not have a great conflict with a girl who can as violent as me. Just to be safe. I couldn't fall back to sleep. I was completely restless. I glanced at my alarm clock to see that it was midnight. I didn't feel like getting out of bed for any reason, I just laid idly in bed for the entire night.

The very next morning, I hurried to my bedroom bathroom to do my "Mercy" routine. Once I am finished, Constance went into my bedroom to do the same thing.

I was slipping into my tights, when Constance called out to me. "Alanna, what's wrong with Clementine?" She asked me. "The child is acting weird and she is not saying anything to me."

I pretended to be clueless. "I don't know. She seems fine to me." I gaslighted.

Constance wasn't easily fooled. "Bullshit, Clementine is always acting like a firecracker. She has been acting differently. Did anything happen?" She demanded.

I firmly denied everything. "Nothing happened." I lied. I changed the subject. "I got worst problems right now, Sister Wanda is on my ass!"

Constance then opened the bathroom door, her hair is tied into cute pigtails and she is dressed in a comfortable dress. She rolled her eyes at me impetuously. "You think you have it bad!" She snarled sharply. "Well guess what, that cunt Wanda called Sister Charlotte yesterday after that fucking meeting with Sister Wanda. She is going to have a meeting with her in a few days."

I did not see a reason for her to be panicked. She basically got away with blowing up the Warner's house. The authorities already have a suspect with a record of being an active arsonist. Since she's been here, Constance has caused no trouble for Wanda or Cole.

"You got nothing to worry about. Sister Wanda is going to call my old orphanage!" I shrieked, I was putting a perfect facade of distress.

Constance still rolled her eyes at me. "I do. Trust me. I do." She insisted. With that, the frustrated woman stormed out of the bedroom in a furious haste.

I felt my mind overloading, I felt like I was going to pop from all of my pent up emotions. I sat on my bed, staring at the floor, forlorn.

"Mercy?" I looked up to the warm presence of Cole in my doorway. "You okay?" He asked.

I nodded. "I'm fine. Just...bored.." I said without thinking. With that, Cole gave me a kind smile. He pulled out his cell phone out of his pant pocket. "You can play with Daddy's phone. I got a couple mini-games on there." He offered sweetly.

There I developed an idea. I smiled broadly. "Thank you, Daddy!" I chirped.

I felt like I was completely lucky right now, I watched a grinning Cole shuffling into the hallway. "Breakfast is almost ready! We're having pancakes!" He shouted out.

"Thank you, Daddy!" I shouted back.

Immediately I began my plan, I searched through Cole's contact list. He was a very decently social man. I found six names of women and seven names of men in his contact. One of the female name was simply listed as "M", I immediately thought of Mareli. I remembered the homewrecker writing down her number for Cole to call her. I never saw the number though.

Rash, I text M.

 _Hi._

I honestly didn't know what to text exactly.

Within a half of a minute, M texted me back. Bursting with smiling emojis and kissing symbols.

 _Hi, Honeybun. How are you?_

I continued this facade.

 _Great. You?_

M responded by sending me a photo that revealed to me that it was Mareli. She took a sultry selfie of her in the bathroom, damp from a morning shower and wrapped in a towel.

Like what you see

With that, the thirsty broad sent me a picture of her cleavage.

I did not answer, I wanted to vomit at this indecent woman. Disgusting cunt.

I forced my fingers to text her back.

 _Yep._

Mareli continued to have full conservation with me. One text was a bloody mess.

 _I had a great day at work, I am so ready to celebrate my birthday with you today. I hope you like coconut cake! My old pops got me a brand new car because I wrecked the last one._ _Did I tell you about Meghan? That bitch who has it out for me. She is always talking shit behind my back. I mean I do nothing to her. I can't stand her. She is just annoying. She is actually trying to get an invitation to my party. Like what a bitch, right_

 _But I am so ready to see you, Honeybun. It's been weeks since our D day._

The text was too boring for me to read completely.

 _I do. I love coconut cake._

I decided to stop this charade and get to the point.

 _Wanna come over today_

Mareli did not text me for a full long minute. At first, my heart began to speak a beat with panic.

Then she texted me back.

 _Is she home? You said she would go crazy if she sees me_

I reassured her.

 _It is fine. She's not home._

Mareli was not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed.

 _Sure, Honeybun! I'll come over in about 10 minutes. I'm not far._

Swiftly I deleted all messages to Mareli, expect her photos. I wanted to use that against Wanda. Immediately, I clicked off the phone and I hurried downstairs. Breakfast was quiet as usual, Ashley was kind enough to make pancakes for everyone. We all sat down at the dining table.

When the fateful knocking of Mareli echoed through the house. I hopped out of my chair and hurried to the front door as if my life depended on it. My heart thundered in my chest as I knew shit was going to go down.

"Cole?" Mareli shouted out, sounding like a lovesick high schooler.

"Mercy?" I heard Cole call out to me, I could hear the desperation in his voice. He knew this will not end well for him.

I opened the door to see a well dressed Mareli grinning ear to ear.

 _Next chapter will come soon. I am currently working another chapter and a chapter for Aishi. Aishi will be updated in due time._


End file.
